Seared Salmon Fillets With Roasted Fennel And Balsamic Lentils Recipes

SEARED SALMON FILLETS WITH ROASTED FENNEL AND BALSAMIC LENTILS

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with rack placed 6 inches under the heat source. Place the bell peppers on a pan in the broiler. Cook, turning occasionally, until the skin is blackened on all sides. Remove from heat, and cool.
• Lower oven heat to 425 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain the cooked lentils, rinse with cool water and reserve. While lentils are cooking, prepare the fennel salad: in a medium mixing bowl, combine the fennel, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a shallow oven-proof dish, and roast until the fennel is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Remove fennel from oven, add lemon juice and reserve until serving time.
• Skin and seed the cooled bell peppers and cut into small dice. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil and shallots. Saute until shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add lentils and diced peppers. Saute another minute, and remove from heat. In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer the balsamic vinegar until reduced by a third, about 2 minutes. Cool, add to the lentil mixture and toss gently. Set aside until serving time.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper to taste. In a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet over high heat, place 1 tablespoon olive oil. Quickly sear the fillets so they are well browned on the surface, and remove from heat. Transfer to an oiled baking dish, and bake about 5 minutes or to taste.
• To serve, spread half of each plate with balsamic lentils, and half with roasted fennel salad. Top with a salmon fillet, and garnish with a sprig of fennel frond. Serve immediately.

ROASTED SALMON WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Combine lentils and 2 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Add onion and celery; cover, and continue cooking until lentils and vegetables are just tender, 15 to 25 minutes more. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Transfer lentils and vegetables to a medium bowl.
• In a bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid with vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Toss half the dressing with the lentil mixture.
• Meanwhile, season salmon with salt and pepper. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange salmon on sheet; broil until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon lentils onto plates; top with salmon, flaking it into large pieces, if desired. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

ROASTED SALMON WITH FENNEL AND LIME

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Finely grate the zest from 1 lime into a small bowl, and set aside the zested lime. Add fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle mixture all over salmon.
• Meanwhile, remove the fennel fronds from the bulb and chop up enough to make 1/4 cup. Trim fennel bulb, discarding stalks, and slice bulb thinly using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Spread half the fennel slices in a baking dish in an even layer and drizzle with oil. Arrange salmon on top.
• Slice the whole, unzested lime into thin rounds and lay the slices on top of the salmon. Tuck marjoram around the salmon and drizzle salmon generously with more olive oil.
• Roast until salmon is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. (Thinner fillets may take less time, so start checking for doneness at 10 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, toss chopped fennel fronds and remaining fennel slices with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Juice the zested lime and add some of the juice to the fennel, to taste. Drizzle the sliced fennel with olive oil and set aside to serve with the salmon.
• When the salmon is done, drizzle it with more lime juice and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve with the fennel salad on top, and the roast fennel on the side, if you like.

BALSAMIC-GLAZED SALMON FILLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Coat a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
• Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with oregano.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily with a fork. Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving the skin behind on the foil.