Crush croutons leaving small chunks for the texture. This is done quickly by placing croutons in a Ziploc bag and hitting them a few times with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Rinse salmon with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place skin side down in a baking pan greased with olive oil or lined with ungreased aluminum foil (*see notes below).
Spread the parmesan-mayo mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Sprinkle the croutons evenly over the mayo mixture - dust with more smoked paprika.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until croutons get toasty and salmon easily flakes with a fork; garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
For an unforgettable flavor, don't settle for regular paprika when smoked is what you need. Smoked paprika has the perfect smoky-sweet taste your dish deserves!
Don't overcook the salmon. Prepare the salmon until it is medium to medium-well (135-145 F internal temperature) and the flesh is tender and opaque (*see the Food Safety section below).
Let the salmon cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
If you're not eating the skin (in which case it should be descaled), place the unscaled fish skin-side down on an ungreasedaluminum foil. When baked, the skin will stick to the foil, and you can easily separate the flesh with a fish spatula.
Bake salmon uncovered. It will take 6 to 9 minutes per 8 ounces of dressed salmon (as in this crusted recipe).
Serve it with a side of rice and broccoli, green beans, or another favorite vegetable or over fresh salad greens.
Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
STORAGE:Keep the leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days.