People certainly DO it; people also drink cheap whiskey and sleep it off in doorways. I grew up on Puget Sound and I cannot imagine frying so delicate and flavorful a fish. I poach it in lemon and water. 15 minutes max from cold.
We fry Salmon, bake salmon and at time we make a soup called Ucha /Ukha wich is thin hot fish dish, a type of Ukrainian, Russian fish soup. The way I fry it is using thin layer of veg oil, cover the non sticking pan. Frying around 3 min on each side. Covering the pan keeps the steam and heat so the fish is tender, juicy and simply melts in the mouse. We have favored spices that from time to time we use, but I usually use some pepper and salt and that's it. As to the Yxa-Ukha soup here is the recipe:
Pan fried in butter, I do it all the time. But deep fried, I've only tried that once - in a popular seafood restaurant in Seattle. I didn't like it. For deep fried, only traditional fish n chips-type fish will work (haddock, halibut, etc).
YouTube is now my culinary academy. My favorite method of preparing salmon is to poach it in a simple court bullion. As a Virginian my favorite pair is Viongier.For my palette, Prince Michel Winery produces the best on the Commonwealth.
