summer salmon

summer salmon over kale, roasted in parchment

for anyone who lives in a small space and has seared a piece of fish on their stovetop knows even the aroma of a spectacular fillet isn't something you want to linger.  try this; wrap your fish in parchment and let the oven do the work.  you'll get a deliciously tender piece of fish and you can infuse it with whatever flavors you like.  i went for thyme, ginger, greens, fennel and a little lemon zest.  click below for the recipe~

prep time: 20 mins
cook time: 20 mins
ingredients:

• 3 salmon filets


• 1 bunch kale or other leafy green


• 2 bulbs fennel, sliced thin


• 1 lemon, zested and juiced


• 1" fresh ginger, sliced or shaved thin


• 3 sprigs thyme


• 2 tablespoons good olive oil plus more for drizzling


• salt & pepper to taste

pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. wash and spin the kale. slice it thin, along with the fennel and set aside on a tin foil lined baking sheet. drizzle with olive oil and salt & pepper and mix together with your hands.
next,  mix together the lemon juice, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow bowl. bathe each of your salmon fillets in the lemony mixture and then pile them on top of a small bunch of the kale / fennel salad on a piece of parchment paper. layer on a few slices of ginger, some lemon zest and a sprig of thyme. finally, wrap the packet to form a seal and repeat for the other two fillets. i put one more layer of parchment on the baking sheet to ensure a snappy clean-up.  not the most sustainable but trust me, i do what i can to reduce my footprint elsewhere-
back to the salmon. let it cook for about 20 minutes. at this point, you can roast the remainder of the kale / fennel mixture as well (this mixture will only take about 8 minutes). either save it for lunch the next day or be a dear and let your neighbor gobble up all the leftovers because he's been on some crazy juice diet all day.  your call.
 
while the salmon's cooking, i like to whip up a little orzo topped with fresh orange juice and thyme to go on the side.  you could also do roasted beets, roasted brussle sprouts, or a little penne with butter and some fresh herbs. thinner salmon fillets cook up relatively quickly so keep it light and simple~