1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Whisk gently until well blended.
3. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Using a brush or spoon, generously coat each fillet with the lemon garlic butter mixture.
4. Arrange the thin lemon slices over and around the salmon. This not only adds flavour but keeps the fish moist and fragrant during cooking.
5. Pop the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon. You’ll know it’s done when the flesh flakes easily with a fork and has turned an opaque pink.
6. About halfway through baking, spoon some of the melted garlic butter from the pan over the fillets to keep them glossy and infused with flavour.
7. Once cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley for a burst of colour and freshness.
8. Serve immediately, preferably with a drizzle of any leftover pan juices.

I remember the first time I made this dish for a friend who was new to cooking salmon. She was hesitant, worried it might taste too ‘fishy’ or dry. But the lemon and garlic butter combo worked its magic, and by the end, she was asking for the recipe to keep in her own tea-stained notebook. That’s the kind of comfort I hope this dish brings you — easy to make, impossible not to love.