Using a block of salt to cook salmon is doubly effective because it helps cook and season the fillets at the same time.

Walnut-Crusted Salmon Baked on a Salt Plate

Place an 8-by-8-inch Himalayan salt plate in center rack of a cold oven. Preheat oven and salt plate to 375 degrees.

If you do not have a salt plate, simply bake salmon on large baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Season fish to taste with sea salt.

Place salmon fillets in a large bowl; add milk to cover. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes at room temperature, turning fillets occasionally. Rinse salmon with water; pat dry with paper towels.

Meanwhile, for asparagus salad, use a vegetable peeler to slice asparagus stalks lengthwise into thin strips. In a large skillet, cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes or just until crisp-tender; drain. Add tomatoes and vinaigrette; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey and mustard. Using oven mitts, carefully transfer salt plate to a heatproof surface or counter and brush with oil. Arrange fillets on salt plate and brush tops with honey mixture and coat with nuts.

Using oven mitts, return salt plate to center rack of oven and bake fillets for 8 minutes. Switch oven to broil and continue to cook fillets 8 minutes or until they flake easily when tested with a fork (145 degrees) and nuts start to brown.

Serve salmon immediately with asparagus salad.