Combining mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, then spreading the mixture over fish fillets prior to baking, is a simple recipe mom often made for us, way back in the prehistoric sixties. It remains a super-fast recipe I often turn to when I've little time to fuss.

The mayonnaise she used was better than the one I used — my dad's specialty was his homemade blender mayonnaise — but the Maille course Dijon, with its lovely texture and white wine flavor, was superior to her generic Dijon-styled mustard. (According to the Mustard Museum website, this particular mustard won the 2012 best grainy mustard award at the World Wide Mustard Competition.)

The simple green salad I served with the salmon really needs no recipe. Simply whisk together 1-2 tablespoons walnut oil with a teaspoon of white wine vinegar. A smidgen of chopped shallots, or honey is a nice addition. Toss with 4 cups of loosely packed greens (I used arugula) and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

When a salad is this simple, I use the best oil and vinegar I can afford. The walnut oil was purchased in Kerrytown's Fustini's and the vinegar is an excellent imported French vinegar I had on hand.

Here's another almost instant recipe for baked fish requiring little more than opening a can of tomatoes!

Yield: 3 servings
Active Time: 5 minutes max
Baking Time: 8-12 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound center cut salmon fillet (I used wild-caught sockeye)
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons coarse Dijon mustard
Snipped chives plus chive blossom garnish, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven (I used my toaster oven) to 400 degrees.
2. Combine mayonnaise and Dijon. Place salmon and a foil-lined baking sheet and lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. (Note: If you are limiting your salt intake, keep in mind the mustard lends a goodly amount of sodium.) Spread mustard-mayo mixture over salmon.
3. Bake 8-15 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet and desired level of doneness, 8-14 minutes. Garnish with snipped chives and blossoms, if using.