I have bought a whole salmon. What do I do with the not fillets?

[willowmelangell]

There is a head, spine, fins, tail and back/top(not sure about that bit) plenty of meat on the bones.
I have a vague idea of microwaving the parts in a bowl. Flaking off the meat. Then perhaps making a pie or giving the cats a treat.
It was pre cut into 2 sides so I cut 8 generous fillets. It's the rest of it that has me stumped.
I don't want to boil it on the hob. Too whiffy.
Any ideas thrifty mumsnetters?

Roast it in oven? (Not an expert, just thinking what I'd do)

www.chefsteps.com/activities/butchery-salmon

This might help with the tail

Pie, or fish cakes, or pasta - this recipe is using tinned salmon (which I absolutely hate) but it would be easy to adapt it to fresh salmon flakes.

Fish soup? If you boil the lot with the bones and all, make a nice broth, keep the meety bits and prepare it with cream, chives etc maybe?

Roast the salmon head, and pick at the meat (with chopsticks). The kuds and DH tell me the cheeks and eyes are the best bits

Give it to me.

Or you could make stock with the bones once you've carefully taken all the meat off. For soup. There'll be at least another portion on the carcass.

Ah sorry I missed the bit about not boiling on the hob. Would roasting it first work, to reduce boiling time, I wonder?

If you cook it in the microwave it is likely to smell just as much as boiling it...

Make a foil parcel with the pieces, add a knob of butter or drizzle of oil, lemon juice if you have it. Seal the parcel well and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Use the flaked fish for fish cakes, sandwiches, stirred into pasta with cream cheese, etc.
Nice and easy, no saucepan to wash up, little smells.

Fish cakes! Salmon fish cakes are lush. Also freeze the scrappy bits to use with white fish in a fish pie in the future?

Actually, I'd just stick it all in the oven. Foil any bits with meat still on, & leave any skin un foiled - the skin will go a bit like cracking & you can eat it if it's been descaled.

I will be roasting the head I think. I remember a cookery programme with that. Wine and herbs in a paper bag.
Thank you @Winterterrace a useful site. I will have a longer look later.
@QueenBlueberries ooh yes! Fish cakes and pasta. Definitely.
So roast the head in a bag, probably roast the rest on a tray. Flakes saved for fish cakes and pasta.
Yummy! I am looking forward to my day off.
Keep the ideas coming please!

You could make salmon pate with some of the "bits" I'm sure.

@FawnDrench pate you say? Hmm I will be looking up some recipes for that! I have made mackerel pate before.