There’s nothing better than making dinner in under 20 minutes.

An air fryer makes that possible.

If you don’t have an air fryer yet, what are you even doing with your life?

You’re wasting time. You could be on the couch with your feet up, sipping a spectacular Rosé wine.

Full disclosure, I am a kitchen snob.

I don’t believe in unitaskers or specialized gadgets that can only do one thing unless it’s my Nespresso maker. Instead, I want the appliances I spend money on to serve multiple purposes.

But whoever invented the air fryer, dear sir or Madame, I would like to hug you, like for a really long time until one of us is uncomfortable. How’s that for undying appreciation?

You see, the original infomercial promise of the air fryer is you get to enjoy deep-fried goodness without the greasy oil mess or trans fat danger.

However, the unsung talent of an air fryer is that you can quickly cook small dishes with minimum fuss and easy clean-up. Since I don’t do dishes (that’s Mr. W&D’s specialty), I try to keep the kitchen chaos to a minimum.

But the NY Times doesn’t share my feelings… it called the air fryer “overpriced and useless.”

Now, I’m now going to wholeheartedly shut that shit down.

They know not what they speak. Yes, I know they’re a world famous century old newspaper, and I’m a one woman show…

…Listen to me, not them.

I know you aren’t running an NYT test kitchen. But you’re trying to cook as quickly as possible, and you’d like to sit down to dinner before 8pm.

If you make dinner at least three times a week, you need this savior 🙏 in your life.

 

The Inside Scoop: How to Choose an Air Fryer

Allow me to state the obvious: Air fryers are really mini convection ovens that use a fan to rapidly circulate hot air, cooking food faster, and more evenly than a conventional oven would.

BTW if you love chicken wings, you can get crispy wings in just 20 minutes with an air fryer.

Do you love roasted chicken? Hello, Barefoot Contessa!

The air fryer turns out a perfectly browned and succulent roasted whole chicken in under an hour.

Say what you want, but an air fryer isn’t like a pasta maker that you wheel out once a year. This is a must-have.

We’ve even killed a lesser model from sheer overuse.

Enter the Ninja Air Fryer…

My latest air fryer is the Ninja AF101 Air Fryer. With over 24,000 nearly 5-star reviews and at just $100, you cannot beat this deal. I am in love with it.

This air fryer can cook food from 105℉ to 400℉. It comes with a ceramic nonstick crisper plate.

It holds 4 quarts of food and comes with a dehydrator rack, biltong anyone? You can even throw the basket, crisper plate, and rack in the dishwasher.

The veggies that I roast in my Ninja air fryer are perfectly caramelized, and my meats are always juicy (I’m not saying “moist” because no, thank you).

One critical note, when setting the Ninja air fryer on your countertop, make sure you give it space! The exhaust fan area located in the back blows a fair amount of hot air out.

I made the mistake of placing my air fryer in front of the butter dish.

Later, I lifted the lid to get a pat, and an epic amount of melted French grass-fed butter flowed out like lava all over the countertop!

If you’re a lazy lady in the kitchen like me and want flavorful and crisp food in as little time as possible, then you need to get this Ninja air fryer.

(Note: I purchased this air fryer with my own money. This is not a sponsored post, but I may earn a tiny commission if you click any of my links. This helps keep me in wine and cheese.)

Now in the spirit of maintaining order, I do not keep my air fryer on the counter. I can’t stand cluttered countertops. I keep it in the pantry and pretend I’m doing reps when I bring it out to cook with.

Air fryers are not gorgeous stainless steel espresso machines or even counter-worthy like my beautiful Kitchenaid mixer.

Instead, they’re an ugly duckling. Usually pod-shaped and dark gray, these utilitarian genius machines are highly functional and worth every penny.

I’ve made stuffed pork loin, lamb chops, bratwurst, flank steak, roasted chicken, truffle and parmesan roasted cauliflower, pancetta with asparagus, faux-fried eggplant, and even mouthwatering ribeye’s in my air fryer.

There’s very little mess since cooking in the closed chamber locks in all the juices. And once it’s cleaned, Mr. W&D puts it away until the next time.

Yes, the Air Fryer Browns and Crisps Food

Your food is going to be crispy when cooked in an air fryer. But it’s different from deep-frying. It’s NOT a fryer.

I’d recommend you rub or spray your food lightly with ghee, butter, avocado oil, or coconut oil and then season it.

These types of fats can withstand the high heat of an air fryer. Plus, they won’t break down during the cooking process and turn into cancer-causing molecules. (Because ain’t nobody trying to die eating some chicken on a Tuesday. Okay?)

A word of caution: Olive oil is not your friend in the air fryer.

Most olive oils have a low smoke point because supermarket brand olive oils are often cut with cheap refined oils.

Unless you are using 100 percent extra virgin high-quality olive oil, with a recent harvest date that comes in a dark bottle, it probably won’t have the high smoke point needed to withstand the heat.

Instead, you should probably choose one of the fats I mentioned above.

Because the minute the air fryer cranks up to full heat, you’re going to have lots of smoke wafting out of it. So, if that’s your thing…go for it.

I like to preheat my air fryer for about 4 minutes at 390 before cooking with it. It helps with browning and ensures the food cooks evenly.

One of my favorite mid-week meals is salmon. Salmon in the air fryer is a revelation, once you’ve had it, you’re not going to want it any other way.

Perfect Everything Bagel Salmon Air Fryer Recipe

I think you’re going to love my Perfect Everything Bagel Salmon Air Fryer Recipe.

I like to take my salmon out of the fridge about an hour before I cook it so it can come to room temperature.

All of the salmon we eat is wild-caught and comes from Trader Joe’s. Since I can’t find a reliable fishmonger, I visit TJ’s and it gives me an excuse to explore.

When placing your salmon fillets in the air fryer basket, give them some space.

I had two big fillets that I could have easily cut in four. But Mr. W&D and I are greedy when it comes to fish. We prefer giant fillets. So I cooked each fillet one at a time.

Place the salmon fillets in the basket, turn on your air fryer, and wait for the magic! There’s no need to flip these babies. You’ll want the skin nice and crispy.

Now, when you get ready to take these beauties out of the air fryer, use a fish spatula or a large spatula.

You don’t want tongs for this operation, or your fish might just fall apart when you’re lifting it out of the basket.

Your Perfect Everything Bagel Air Fryer Salmon recipe will still be tasty. But it will look like a dog’s breakfast on your plate, and who wants that? You eat with your eyes first, Sharon.

Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 7 mins | Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. wild sockeye salmon, cut into 4 fillets or 2 large fillets, mine we’re just a 1/2 thick. You can use fresh or previously frozen.
• 1 tsp. good quality mayo, I used Duke’s, but avocado oil mayo would work well.
• 1 tsp. avocado oil, ghee, or butter
• 1/2 tsp. garlic power
• 1 tsp. everything bagel seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. dried shallots
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges

Instructions:

1. Let the fish sit on the counter for an hour. Place fish on parchment paper or wax paper. Rub the bottom of each fillet (skin side) with oil.
2. Preheat the air fryer for 4 minutes at 390 degrees.
3. Smear the top of each fillet with a generous coating of mayo. I used the back of a spoon to spread it on the fish, but you can use a pastry brush or your fingers.
4. Season with salt, pepper, bagel seasoning, garlic powder, dried shallots, and dried herbs
5. Place fillets in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer at 390 degrees for 7 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off, check fish for doneness and make sure you’re happy with the desired doneness.
7. Carefully lift out with a long spatula.
8. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over and enjoy with Atlantique Cabernet Franc Rosé Wine and my Lazy Caesar Salad! A perfect choice for salmon.

Note: Depending on the model you have, check your fish at the 5 minute mark. This way you can watch it closely. The temperature and cooking speed will vary until you become used to your air fryer.

What Wine Goes With Everything Bagel Air Fryer Salmon?

For my Everything Bagel Air Fryer Salmon recipe, I recommend Atlantique Cabernet Franc Rosé Wine.

The garlic, herbal mixture with its creamy finish thanks to the secret mayonnaise layer gives the salmon a meaty and wonderful flaky texture.

Atlantique Loire Valley Cabernet Franc Rosé wine is bright and tart and pairs with the salmon the way a generous squeeze of fresh lemon brightens up any fish dish.

In fact any type of oven roasted or pan fried salmon would pair well with these wines:

• Tavel Rosé
• Lambrusco
• French Semillon
• Oak-Aged Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc (Chile or Australia)
• Aged White Rioja
• Viognier

And if you’re not a salmon person, don’t fret pet because I’ve also created a quick wine and seafood pairing chart…

Pairing wine with seafood doesn’t have to be complicated. Just click here to discover it now >>