I'm trying to eat a little healthier again so I decided to try a new recipe for salmon. I like this one because there is very little clean up since the foil can be thrown away. Plus I wanted something fast and easy so I could watch the ducks game tonight. This recipe is great for parties because the packets are quick to put together. They are also easy to customize if someone is allergic to one of the ingredients. A great side dish to this besides rice would be green beans. Caramelize some extra shallot in bacon fat. Blanch the green beans then add to shallot pan. Saute 2 minutes then plate and serve.
This salmon uses italian flavors and very few ingredients (most of these I have in my pantry already). Make sure when buying the salmon that it smells like the sea or nothing and ask for the pin-bones and skin removed.
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs salmon (basically half of a salmon)
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 shallots
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 lemon worth of juice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken stock or water
Directions:
1. preheat oven to 400
2. Cut salmon into equal size pieces, about 5 oz each
3. Lightly coat with olive oil, then season with a good amount of salt and pepper
4. Combine shallots, tomatoes, lemon, and herbs together in a bowl and let blend/marinate a few minutes.
5. Place each piece of salmon into a square of aluminum foil. Crimp up the sides around fish so foil acts like a bowl. pour in a equal amounts of liquid into each fish packet.
6. Seal up foil packets and place on a foil lined baking sheet.
7. Cook fish for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
8. After placing fish in oven start rice. Put a pat of butter into a sauce pan and allow to melt.
9. Add rice and allow to toast for 2 minutes.
10. Add chicken stock (it might boil up so be careful) and cook for about 15 minutes over low heat or until rice is cooked through.
11. Serve salmon and rice together. Add a little lime or lemon wedges in case liquid isn't acidic enough. I just serve the dish wrapped in the foil but for a more elegant look, place fillets on a large platter and cover with tomato-shallot mixture.
From one person who doesn't like or really know how to cook (still), here's a thought. Maybe you can do one post to define some terms. Like how would one caramelize something. Or blanch something. Or put something in foil (kidding). But really, talk to us like we're four (because some of us, cooking-wise, are). Just my two cents. Love you, little sister!
ReplyDeleteBeth, I think this is a great idea! sometimes I take for granted all the lingo I know. I'll work on that A.S.A.P. but I have a paper to finish first haha.
ReplyDeletePaper shmaper - I need to know how to blanch! ;)
ReplyDeletecrunch of shallots is nice contrast to fish.
ReplyDeleteadding lime and white wine makes liquid less acidic and more sweet. Adding tomato liquid also adds sweetness.
Cook less time. Closer to 15 minutes at 400.
Serving with mashed potatoes adds moisture. To make more low cal potatoes use chicken stock instead of dairy while mashing.
great with a butter sauce like beur blanc or thyme-lemon hollaindaise.
Tried cooking 400 for 20 min then rest with packet closed for 5 min. cooked fish through but a little dry.
ReplyDeleteOlive oil on fish before seasoning with s + p adds nice texture to finished liquid for fish.
The more classical oven-poaching has you arrange the seasoned fillets in a buttered flameproof baking dish with their sprinkling of shallots and their poaching liquid. You bring them just to the simmer on top of the stove, cover them with buttered wax or parchment paper to protect and to help steam as well as bake them. You slip them into your preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and they usually need 7 to 10 minutes.
ReplyDelete