Herb Roasted Salmon on Fennel, Carrot, Sprouted Lentils

Copper River salmon arrived in the Northwest this week. I rushed out, bought a whole one, brought it home, and began filleting it. As I picked it up by the tail it slipped out of my hands. Ah yes, the first sign of a fresh fish is a slime coating the skin! (If salmon is slimy and smells bad it is an old caught salmon and not desirable). The second sign is a very firm flesh. And of course, it should smell fresh, not fishy. This fish had both. Now how to prepare this beauty!

Onward:

Years ago, I attended an Herbfarm cooking school and restaurant in rural Fall City before the famous restaurant moved to Woodinville. A dish we had that day was salmon on a bed of lentils. If memory serves me well, the lentils were the small black lentils. Fast forward to today, I still use lentils but have found that the sprouted dried lentils have a higher nutritional value primarily since they are gentler on the digestive tract and more of the vitamins and minerals are readily absorbed. This recipe is fashioned after that original dish I had at the Herbfarm, however, having lost that recipe this is my updated version.

Scroll to the bottom for printable recipe.

4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Lentils

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup carrots, peeled, small diced

1 cup fennel, trimmed, small diced

½ cup shallots, trimmed, small diced

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

½ teaspoon pimentón dulce or smoked paprika

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (lemon thyme if available)

1 cup sprouted green lentils

2 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salmon

Rock or kosher salt for the bottom of the salmon pan

1 ½ pounds fresh salmon, cut into four equal fillets (preferably king salmon)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground (I use hand-gathered fennel buds with pollen from my garden)

1 tablespoon fresh herbs, minced (such as tarragon, basil, sorrel, parsley, and thyme)

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 grinds fresh black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Lentils

Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan or skillet. When it shimmers add the carrots, fennel, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir (toss like a chef if you dare) until softened, about four to six minutes. Stir in the pimentón, thyme, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about ten minutes. Cover and continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about two to four minutes.

Retain warm while baking the salmon. When ready to serve stir in the lemon zest, and juice. Taste, Think, Transform for salt and/or more lemon juice

Salmon

Preheat oven to 300°F. Lay the salmon fillets in a skillet lined with foil with a small bed of rock or kosher salt. Lightly oil each filet, and sprinkle with the fennel, herbs, salt, and pepper. Place it in the oven and roast until fillets flake when gently pushed with your finger on the top, about ten to twelve minutes. (The center of the fillets should still be slightly translucent). Remove from the oven.

Lay a portion of the lentils on the plates, top with the salmon and serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Author: chefsharingthetable.com

Herb Roasted Salmon on Fennel, Carrot, Sprouted Lentils

Copper River salmon arrived in the Northwest this week. I rushed out, bought a whole one, brought it home, and began filleting it. As I picked it up by the tail it slipped out of my hands. Ah yes, the first sign of a fresh fish is a slime coating the skin! (If salmon is slimy and smells bad it is an old caught salmon and not desirable). The second sign is a very firm flesh. And of course, it should smell fresh, not fishy. This fish had both. Now how to prepare this beauty!

prep time: 30 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 60 M

ingredients:

Lentils

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup carrots, peeled, small diced
1 cup fennel, trimmed, small diced
½ cup shallots, trimmed, small diced
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon pimentón dulce or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (lemon thyme if available)
1 cup sprouted green lentils
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salmon

Rock or kosher salt for the bottom of the salmon pan
1 ½ pounds fresh salmon, cut into four equal fillets (preferably king salmon)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground (I use hand-gathered fennel buds with pollen from my garden)
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, minced (such as tarragon, basil, sorrel, parsley, and thyme)
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 grinds fresh black pepper

instructions:

How to cook Herb Roasted Salmon on Fennel, Carrot, Sprouted Lentils

Lentils

Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan or skillet. When it shimmers add the carrots, fennel, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir (toss like a chef if you dare) until softened, about four to six minutes. Stir in the pimentón, thyme, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about ten minutes. Cover and continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about two to four minutes.
Retain warm while baking the salmon. When ready to serve stir in the lemon zest, and juice. Taste, Think, Transform for salt and/or more lemon juice

Salmon

Preheat oven to 300°F. Lay the salmon fillets in a skillet lined with foil with a small bed of rock or kosher salt. Lightly oil each fillet, and sprinkle with the fennel, herbs, salt, and pepper. Place it in the oven and roast until fillets flake when gently pushed with your finger on the top, about ten to twelve minutes. (The center of the fillets should still be slightly translucent). Remove from the oven.
Lay a portion of the lentils on the plates, top with the salmon and serve hot.

Calories

517.88

Fat (grams)

28.37

Sat. Fat (grams)

5.14

Carbs (grams)

21.38

Fiber (grams)

7.39

Net carbs

14.00

Sugar (grams)

5.55

Protein (grams)

43.77

Sodium (milligrams)

1268.88

Cholesterol (grams)

107.16

Created using The Recipes Generator