A Salmon for all Seasons

Last night, Mike graced me with a salmon dish which is tender, flavorful, light, and simple to prepare. You will love how this recipe removes any fear you might have of pan-searing fish. By simply baking the salmon with a generous coating of fresh herbs and surrounding it with a nice dose of white wine, the salmon both steams (delectably, in alcohol!) and develops an appealing crust. Both textures are accomplished by little work more than chopping the herbs to release their flavors and slipping the fish into a preheated oven. Ah, yes - and sampling your wine of choice to see if it'll do your fresh filets justice!

I admit that I must always contribute something to a meal, or I feel ill at ease and distanced from the kitchen. That just won’t do (I give you full permission to call me a Food Nazi. Others have before…), so I decided to make a panzanella salad to go with A Salmon for all Seasons.

How can you shy away from a salad which replaces bread for lettuce? Homemade croutons are balanced out with nice chunks of fresh veggies, so it’s really not a case of bread basket overkill. The croutons soak up a caesar-like dressing. Sliced raw shallots and capers pack in an extra zing. Capers pair excellently with fish (think of smoked salmon), and the heartiness of panzanella matched up nicely with the delicacy of Mike’s salmon.

Serves 2

For the salmon:
2 medium-sized wild salmon filets, gently rinsed and patted dry
3 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
generous bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
generous bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
zest of 1 lemon
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
olive oil
¼ cup white wine (Mike wisely selected Trader Joes' Chardonnay - cheap and flavorful)

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

-Stir together fresh herbs and lemon zest in a small bowl.
-Place filets in a small glass baking dish.
-Lightly rub with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
-Pack the herb mixture on top of the filets. There should be a generous coating on each.
-Pour in white wine alongside the filets, and cook for 15 minutes, or until slightly browned on top, liquid has reduced, or at desired doneness.
-Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

For the panzanella:
1 demi-baguette, or half of a baguette (alternatively, any crusty bread which you enjoy)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, sliced into chunks
1 yellow pepper, sliced into chunks
1 hothouse cucumber, sliced down the middle with seeds removed, and sliced into chunks
3 tablespoons capers (or less, if you don’t like as much as I do)
generous bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
2 gloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk (omit if desired)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Slice the baguette into about 1-inch chunks and place on a cookie sheet.
-Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with hands to coat, and place in oven. Remove croutons once they are lightly browned and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together garlic, mustard, lemon juice, egg yolk, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add in olive oil, whisking, until fully dispersed. Set aside.
-In a large bowl, add in peppers, shallots, and cucumber chunks. Add in chopped parsley and capers. Once the croutons have cooled, add in. Toss with vinaigrette, taste for seasoning, and serve.