Putting together a quick and healthy meal on a weeknight is something most of us struggle to do on a regular basis. Whenever someone would ask me what’s my go-to, quick, easy and foolproof dish, I inevitably answer ‘salmon’! There’s just no other contender in my mind for a tasty meal that would only require about 5 minutes of prep time and be guaranteed to taste great no matter how skillful you are in the kitchen. Whether you go super basic with just a squeeze of lemon or decide to be creative and sprinkle a few of the herbs stashed in your pantry, roast salmon is simply impossible to mess up.
Now if you’re looking to go beyond the lemon-herbs combo, I highly recommend you start throwing some mustard into the mix. After giving a try to this Roast Salmon with Whole-Grain-Mustard Crust recipe, I doubt I’ll go back to the standard fare, except perhaps during the summer heat. A cinch to throw together, the mustard crust is truly spectacular and I’m still amazed at how well it pairs with the salmon, not overpowering it as I would have expected but wonderfully matching its intense flavor. I served it with some Brussels sprout leaves lightly sautéed in olive oil and lemon juice for a light meal though it would go well with roasted potatoes as well. All in all, a great weeknight meal that’s healthy and elegant, and ready in less than 20 minutes.
Roast Salmon with Whole-Grain-Mustard Crust
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine (Feb 2012)Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Makes 4 servings 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced chives
Four 8-ounce skin-on wild salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 400° and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, olive oil and chives.
Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place them skin side down on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mustard mixture over the tops of the fillets.
Roast the fish for 6 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Broil the salmon 6 inches from the heat for about 4 minutes, until the mustard crust is browned and the salmon is almost cooked through.
Using a spatula, carefully slide the salmon fillets off their skins and transfer to plates. Serve immediately with sautéed Brussels sprout leaves.
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