Dry-rubbed roasted salmon

Here, a quick blend of spices typically used to cure pastrami coats the fish and keeps it moist, without any added oil. Feel free to add more black peppercorns to the spice mix if you want more kick. You can use an instant-read thermometer to measure the doneness of the salmon.

The spice rub can be made up to 1 week in advance. The fish needs to rest in its dry rub for 30 minutes at room temperature. It can be cooked and refrigerated a day in advance.

1 tablespoon coriander seed

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon black or yellow mustard seed

2 teaspoons dried juniper berries

1 teaspoon fennel seed

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons granulated garlic (garlic powder)

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton; may substitute sweet paprika)

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Six 8-ounce skin-on salmon fillets (from one 3-pound salmon fillet)

Combine the coriander seed, black peppercorns, mustard seed, juniper berries and fennel seed in a designated spice grinder and pulse to a fairly fine consistency (or you can crush them using a mortar and pestle or in a sealed zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin). Transfer to a medium bowl, then stir in the brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, paprika, cloves and salt to form a well-blended spice rub. The yield is 1/3 cup. Spread the rub across a plate.

Press the tops and sides of each portion of salmon fillet into the rub, using it all. Place the fish on a roasting pan, spacing the fillets well apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast (middle rack) for 20 to 22 minutes, depending on the desired degree of doneness (125 degrees for medium-rare). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6

Nutrition | Per serving: 350 calories, 46 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar

Adapted from “The Healthy Jewish Kitchen: Fresh, Contemporary Recipes for Every Occasion,” by Paula Shoyer (Sterling Epicure, 2017).