Baked Wild Salmon with Herb Butter

Serves 4

Prepare:
1/2 cup Herb Butter (recipe follows)

Pull any pin bones from:
1 - 1.5 pounds wild salmon fillet, cut into 4 - 6 oz pieces
Refrigerate until ready to cook

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and remove the Herb Butter from the refrigerator to soften.

Season the salmon with:
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Oil a baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet and place the pieces of Salmon in it, skin side down. Brush or drizzle with oil. Bake until the flesh is just set and still pink in the center, 7 - 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Spoon some of the soft Herb Butter over each piece of fish and pass the rest in a small bowl.

Herb Butter (makes about 3/4 cup)

Stir together in a small bowl, mixing well:

8 Tbs. (1 stick) butter softened
1/2 cup chopped herbs (I use random dried herbs and it is delicious)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (go ahead an mince it - you know you want to)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne

Taste and adjust the salt and lemon as needed
If you need to melt the mixture - put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds

Recipe from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters