Slow Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon

So this is already my second "Wild Salmon Post", but I really do eat this fish once or twice a week. I can't say enough good things about the health benefits of eating omega-3 rich foods on a regular basis. Wild Sockeye Salmon in particular is one of my favorite types of salmon because of its intense flavor and vibrant color. It's a less fatty species of salmon as opposed to Wild King Salmon so it would dry out easily when I grilled or roasted it at home. Last month I discovered that baking Sockeye at a very low temperature for 25 minutes preserves the flavor and texture of the fish. The result was a beautifully moist and delicious fillet that melts in your mouth. SOOOO good!! Here I serve it with two easy side dishes: crushed fingerling potatoes and chard. I picked those up at the green market along with some shallots that I lightly fried in some healthy grapeseed oil. The crispy sweet shallots played against the bitterness of the leafy chard and the creamy potatoes. No butter or cream necessary! The lemon-dijon sauce is a tangy compliment to the richness of the salmon. This meal is simple, hearty and delicious!

Slow Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon

Serves: 4 Time: 30 min


Ingredients
4 6oz Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillets
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper


1. Preheat oven to 225*F.
2. Rinse the fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place fillets in baking dish and coat all sides lightly with olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Set aside and allow fillets to come to room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare the ingredients for the side dishes.
3. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until cooked medium rare.

Crushed Fingerling Potatoes

Serves: 4 Time: 25 min


Ingredients:
1.5 lbs Local Fingerling Potatoes, scrubbed
2-3 Tablespoons Earth Balance Butter
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
Kosher or Sea salt and Fresh ground black pepper to taste


1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Once fork tender, drain them and put them back on the stove over low heat. With a potato masher or the back of a fork, crush the potatoes and their skins until the consistency is that of chunky mashed potatoes.
3. Add in the Earth Balance and parsley. Season to taste with the sea salt and pepper. Leave on the stove over low heat to keep warm while the salmon cooks.

Sauteed Chard

Serves: 4 Time: 20 min


Ingredients:
2 Bunches Organic Green or Rainbow Chard, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 Large Shallot, thinly sliced
1-2 Cloves Garlic, sliced for mild flavor/chopped for stronger flavor
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste


1. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and shallots. Saute until golden and shallots turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more.
3. Add chard and 2 tablespoons water. Continue to cook until chard is wilted and tender, about 5-10 more minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt, turn heat down to low and cover.

Lemon-Dijon Sauce

Serves: 4-6 Time: 5 min


Ingredients:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chiffonade of 5 fresh basil leaves or 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil Leaves
Sea salt and Fresh ground black pepper to taste


Juice half of the lemon into a small mixing bowl. Add the Dijon mustard. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream. Stir in the basil and season to taste with the sea salt and black pepper.


To plate the dish, put a generous spoonful or two of the Lemon Dijon Emulsion around the middle of the plate. Place a serving of the crushed fingerlings in the middle of the sauce and slightly flatten the top with the back of the serving spoon. Then serve up a generous portion of the chard on top of the potatoes. Place the salmon fillet over top of the chard. Garnish on top with a slice of lemon and/or crispy fried shallots (and a fried basil leaf, pictured). Serve immediately.