Whole Roasted Salmon with Orange Butter Glaze Recipe

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Strew the bottom of a 12×18-inch jelly-roll pan or 12×16-inch half-sheet pan with leeks, then set aside.

With a sharp knife, cut away the peel, pith, and outer membranes from 2 oranges, then slice the orange flesh into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Set aside.

Rinse the salmon under cold water, making sure cavity of fish is completely clean. Pat the fish dry with paper towel.

Cut 3 shallow slits through salmon’s skin, about 3 inches apart, on each side of fish. Season the salmon cavity with salt and pepper.

Stuff the cavity with cilantro sprigs, reserved orange rounds, and onion rounds. Drape a large piece of cheesecloth over the leeks in the bottom of roasting pan. Place the salmon on top of cheesecloth.

Squeeze the juice from remaining 2 oranges into a small saucepan, then place the pan over medium-high heat, and bring the juice to a boil. Add the butter, and stir until melted. Remove pan from heat.

Brush the salmon with orange-juice mixture. Place roasting pan in oven, and roast salmon for about 1 hour, basting every 10 minutes with orange-juice mixture, until the skin is crispy and dark golden brown and meat is pink and firm to the touch.

If head or tail of fish become too dark, gently fold aluminum foil over them. Remove the pan from oven, then pour the wine into pan to help loosen salmon.

Using the cheesecloth to help lift fish, carefully transfer to serving platter. Gently remove the cheesecloth from under the fish, and serve.