Easy, Elegant Broiled Salmon - Broiled Salmon with Mustard and Crisp Dilled Crust

I am still amazed at how easy cooking is, if you have the right recipe. This is such a tasty recipe and it is quick and simple to make. The first time I made it was for dinner on Christmas Eve at my parent's this past Christmas, when it was just my parents, Ben and Myself for dinner. The salmon was scrumptious, although I did have to make some changes to the recipe.

Generally speaking it is best to have salmon with the skin on - it seems to be more moist - but I've also prepared it with skinned salmon cut into individual portions with equal success. Use the foil as suggested in the recipe - the salmon, with or without skin, will stick to the pan and dry out faster.

This is from Cook's Illustrated with, as usual, some refinements on my part.

NOTE - if you're cooking individual portions of fish, reduce the cooking time. Last time I made it this way the fish was a bit dry.

1 cup Panko

4 oz plain high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough 1/8-inch pieces, about 1 cup

6 Tbsps. chopped fresh dill leaves

1 whole side of salmon fillet , about 3 1/2 lbs., pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed

1 tsp. mild vegetable oil

3/4 tsp. salt

Ground black pepper

3 Tbsps. Dijon mustard

1. Adjust the first oven rack to an upper position, about 8 inches from the upper element, and then the second rack to one position lower; heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toast the bread crumbs evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast it on the lower rack to freshen it up, briefly, until light brown, shaking the pan once or twice. Toss together the bread crumbs, the crushed potato chips, and the dill in small bowl; set aside.
3. Increase the oven setting to broil. Cut piece of heavy-duty foil 6 inches longer than the fillet. Fold the foil lengthwise in thirds and place it lengthwise on a rimmed baking sheet; position the salmon lengthwise on the foil, allowing for the excess foil to overhang the baking sheet. Rub the fillet evenly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Broil the salmon on the upper rack until the surface is spotty brown and the outer 1/2-inch of the thick end is opaque when gently flaked with a paring knife, 9 to 11 minutes.
5. Remove it from the oven and spread evenly with the mustard; press the bread crumb mixture onto the fish, using the mustard as the glue. Return the fish to the lower rack and continue broiling until the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer.