That pink fish that cost so much pretty much anywhere in the world is delicious on basically anything. From sushi to salads, cooked, seared or straight from the line, Salmon is delicious, I don’t care what anyone says.

By the time you reach January 76th, you’re so broke that you can’t even afford to think about salmon. Well, I’m here to introduce you to two forms of salmon which stay in my kitchen for such days.

Salmon in a can

This form of salmon is cooked and left in brine like the more common canned tuna. Your first job is to debone the salmon but it’s so simple, there’s no need to overthink it. I wouldn’t put this on sushi as the fish is cooked and a little tender, however it goes well in salads, added to pasta dishes or made into fish cakes like I previously did. It also stays in your pantry and can last for a very long time (if you don’t damage the can, of course). It comes in a 400g can and is priced between R25 and R40, depending on the retailer you go to.

Frozen off cuts

My absolute fave is the off cuts as they’re generally thick pieces. This version is from econo foods I. Honeydew and is reasonably priced at R39.95. This particular pack consists of trout and salmon pieces that are lightly smoked. The possibilies are endless with this pack. I once added some soy sauce, Wasabi, cucumber, avocado, sesame seeds and sushi rice and made a salad bowl, that people thought cost a fortune. Another times, I made a quinoa salad by adding in some asparagus, feta, rocket and quinoa. But I recently topped the flavour list with a creamy pasta dish which boasted bold spring/green onion flavours. That recipe is coming soon. It weighs about 500g which is completely worth what you pay for. Leave it in the freezer until you’re ready for the salmon craving days.

Life’s not fun when you keep all the secrets to yourself. So go out there with your sophisticated palate and eat more salmon at a fraction you’re used to.