My husband, Les, and I love taking road trips, and since COVID began, that’s how we have done all of our travel. Our trips may be lengthy, like our 10-day tour of Jersey, Connecticut and New York back in 2021, or quick weekend getaways to one of our beautiful North Carolina beaches. Regardless of length and destination, our trips all have a few things in common; we always have good music and snacks for the drive.
And then, there’s the ritual of departure from our home, which for me always goes something like this:
Load our main bags into the car (Les does this part, and I do the rest)
Do a walk-through of every single room of the house to be sure we aren’t forgetting something important
Set out instructions for the pet sitter
Give the dog a pat on the head and tell her she’s in charge of the house while we’re away
Wink at the cat, who knows she’s actually going to be in charge
Do another walk-through of the house to be sure nothing electric is plugged in
Make a quick trip to the bathroom
Confirm with husband that my bag is already in the car
Double check on pet supplies to be sure my notes for the sitter match what’s in the cabinet
Argue with husband, who keeps yelling from the garage to “COME ON!”
Confirm the front door is locked
Get in the car (finally)
My backpack goes behind Les’s seat (so I can reach it), and it usually includes a couple of food magazines, my iPad, laptop, charger cables, bottled water and whatever road snacks Les picked up at the convenience store when he stopped to gas up the car. All of this, even for a four-hour car ride!
When we make one of these road trips, we throw dietary caution to the wind and load up on some junky snack foods that we would never eat any other time. I mean, junk— like pizza-flavored Combos, cheap chocolate bars, bold and zesty Chex mix, or these honey-mustard and onion pretzel pieces (one of my faves).
I’d never eat these at home, but they always taste so good in the car!
I have no good excuse for loving these things. It’s the kind of ultra-processed snack I avoid 99% of the time. But I was raised to waste nothing, so after we get home from wherever we went, I don’t want to just throw the remains away. The leftover candy might go into Les’s lunchbox during the work week, but in the case of pretzels, chips or crackers, I can almost always crush them up and use them to coat a piece of fish or chicken.
The pretzel bits got so crunchy in the oven, and these flavors worked great with salmon!
The balance of sweet honey, salty pretzel and savory mustard works really well on salmon fillets, and it’s easy to prep this and pop it into the oven while you steam or pan fry a side vegetable. In past times, I’d simply brush a little bit of mayonnaise onto the fish before pressing it into the pretzel crumbs, but I’ve invested some time this past year learning new culinary techniques. I’ve made no secret of my crush on Kenji López-Alt for the scientific approach he takes in the kitchen, and his technique that I call the “miraculous mayo marinade” has become one of my go-tos.
This mayo trick has taken some of my go-to recipes to a new level!
A tiny bit of baking soda added to a seasoned mayonnaise mixture creates a chemical reaction that delivers more flavor into the protein you coat with it, and also helps to keep the protein (in this case, salmon) super moist and juicy after cooking. I used this simple chemistry trick to infuse my skinless salmon fillets with fresh garlic and dill, then I pressed both sides of the salmon into the crushed remains of the honey-mustard and onion pretzels.
Keep the crumbs a little bit chunky for terrific texture from the oven.
About 20 minutes in the oven, and the salmon emerged with a golden, crunchy coating and moist, juicy interior. The fresh dill in the marinade was a perfect complement to the tangy mustard in the pretzels, and the flavor was so tantalizing, it may be tough for me to wait until our next road trip to make it again!
This recipe is very simple, and makes the best use of the crumbs at the bottom of a snack food bag. If you don't have these pretzels, try it with tortilla or potato chips!
Ingredients
2 portioned fillets of salmon, skin removed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves fresh garlic, grated on microplane
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup honey-mustard and onion pretzel pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F, with oven rack in center position. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.
Combine mayo, garlic, dill, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add baking soda and stir for a few seconds to ensure it’s evenly distributed in the marinade.
When the mayo mixture appears frothy and bubbly, spread it evenly over both sides of the salmon, and let the salmon rest for about 20 minutes.
Place pretzel pieces inside a paper bag or between layers of parchment. Use a rolling pin to gently crush the pieces into smaller pieces, but not to the point of powder. Spread the crumbs out onto a plate or the parchment. Press the salmon into the crumbs on both sides.
Arrange salmon fillets onto lined baking sheet. Scatter any leftover crumbs onto the salmon pieces and gently press to adhere.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on size and thickness of salmon fillets.
What a week! Things have been a bit upside-down at our house, as my husband and I are now in week five of our master bath remodel. It isn’t clear to me how a room half the size of the kitchen can take longer to overhaul, but we are assured that the end of the month will bring light at the end of the tunnel. I’m sure ready to get back to normal, though “normal” itself is different with the change of season. Can I get an “achoo?”
Somehow, my tulips evaded the voracious appetites of our resident deer this spring!My car used to be red…Despite a hard freeze and a couple of frost warnings, my peonies are waking up ready for spring!
The weather is warming, my car is predictably covered in yellow pollen, all the flowers are blooming and the bees are buzzing (literally). Yesterday, as I chatted with a neighbor in the warmth of the afternoon, we heard a humming sound that became increasingly loud as we talked. It was not the sound of the nearby wet saw grinding away at the large porcelain tiles that will grace the walls of our new, walk-in shower—no, this sound was much closer and sounded like a chaotic symphony of the natural sort. To be honest, it felt and sounded a bit ominous, as if the wind carried a warning. I finally looked up to realize that an enormous swarm of bees was on the move! In all my years, I had never before witnessed such a sight, and it was something to behold. Thankfully, they kept moving!
In this image, you can kind of make out a million little black dots (they are bees).But close up, yikes! I have never seen or heard so many bees at once.
Easter arrives this weekend, and for the occasion, I’ll be making a couple batches of homemade Moravian Sugar Cake this evening and tomorrow morning. And then, with the Friday evening arrival of Passover, all leavened baked goods will be “off the table” for a week (plus a day). That is a big test of my willpower, and I will probably try to satisfy my cravings virtually by sharing a previously made bread recipe (or two).
In the meantime, here’s a delicious and healthful seafood recipe that fits the bill for the final Friday of Lent or for a simple Passover meal for the coming week. When I made this dish a few months ago, it was a good reminder for me that a meal does not have to be complicated to seem elegant. The creamy Dijon-spiked sauce has a dual role; first, to coat the salmon during baking (which keeps it delightfully moist) and, second, a reserved amount can be dolloped onto the plate for dipping as you enjoy each bite. I like wild or sustainably farm-raised salmon for this recipe, but arctic char or steelhead trout would be equally delicious, and it only takes 30 minutes, start to finish—perfect at the end of a hectic “here comes spring” week!
Ingredients (serves 2)
2 fillets salmon (about 6 oz. each, skin-on is fine)
Creamy Dijon Sauce
1/3 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt, if you prefer)
A small handful of fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 small lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
*Notes
If you will be making this dish for Passover, omit the Dijon, as mustard is not considered kosher for Passover, especially in Ashkenazi Jewish culture. I’m still learning the rules, and though we don’t follow all of them at our house, I would hate to lead someone else astray of acceptable standards. This will be delicious, even without the mustard.
Instructions
The sauce is very simple to make, and you can adjust the amount of herbs, salt and pepper to your liking.
Fresh lemon in the sauce brightens the flavor of the whole dish!
Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper.
Put dollops of the creamy Dijon sauce on top of the fillets and use a knife or spatula to spread it over the whole surface.
Bake the coated fillets for 25 minutes at 350° F.
Hot from the oven, the fillets remain protected by the creamy Dijon sauce. It should flake easily with the tip of a fork when done.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a baking sheet, lined with parchment or silicone liner.
Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season each with salt and pepper.
Stir together the sour cream, Dijon, shallots, dill and parsley. Squeeze in lemon juice and stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the creamy Dijon sauce generously over each fillet, reserving a few tablespoons for serving later. Bake for 25 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily.
If you were to scroll through your collection of recipes, I wonder which ones are most overlooked, and I wonder why. We all have recipe cards that hang out in the back of the box—either because they no longer suit our taste (which makes them ripe for a makeover), or they are specific to a season or holiday, or the ingredients are too pricy or difficult to find. Sometimes, though, I believe recipes get passed over because they seem complicated or intimidating.
My own “bucket list” of culinary challenges includes items from all those categories, but after recent conversation with various friends and acquaintances, I have noticed one standout category of food that seems to hold an air of mystery to a lot of people: seafood. It seems that most people enjoy seafood, but many are reluctant to make it at home. It’s no wonder seafood restaurant prices are what they are, and that’s a darn shame when some of those dishes are perfectly manageable for a home cook.
Every week or so, I peek at the activity insights offered by WordPress, where Comfort du Jour is hosted, and this helps guide me in deciding what to make next, and what to share with my foodie friends. I can see at-a-glance the number of views and downloads each page has had to date, and overwhelmingly, the recipe with the highest numbers of both is this one:
Really? Mahi Hemingway is the most popular recipe on Comfort du Jour.
It surprises me to see that Mahi Hemingway is so interesting to others, because it happens to be one of the simplest recipes to make, both from an ingredient standpoint and one of skill level. I developed my own version of that recipe because I couldn’t make sense of the $30 price tag on a similar dish in a local restaurant, which I expect points to another reason home cooks shy away from making their own seafood. If it’s so expensive in restaurants, it must be expensive and hard to make, right? Wrong! 😉
Most seafood is surprisingly easy to make, and I’m about to prove it again with this easy-and-done recipe that is cooked on the grill. The salmon fillet portions, which are easily found in most larger supermarkets, take an afternoon bath in a simple marinade of real maple syrup, bourbon and Dijon mustard. The marinade infuses flavor into the fish during this phase, and becomes a flavorful glaze later, when the fish is grilled. If you prefer, you can also make this in the oven, and the cedar wrap is entirely optional, but I believe it is worth the extra expense. I found these in the grilling section of the supermarket , but you might also check your hardware store, Walmart or Target. Cedar wraps impart an aromatic smokiness to the fish, without the extra time and fuss of cedar planks. The wraps are also less expensive than planks (only $10 for eight of them), and they don’t take up much storage space.
I have garnished the salmon with chopped soy-wasabi almonds, which is a great complement to the maple and bourbon flavors, and the wasabi echoes the horseradish that spikes the easy buttermilk mashed potatoes underneath, the same potatoes I made at St. Patrick’s Day for the Bangers & Mash.
You can begin prep for this meal a few hours ahead, and cooking time is less than half an hour, including the mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. This meal is beautiful, tasty, quick and easy—collectively giving it a good chance at moving to the front of the recipe box.
I’ll bet this plate would be at least $24 in a seafood restaurant.
Two servings, easy to double.
Ingredients
I cut two portions from this whole fillet of salmon for this recipe. A larger chunk went on the smoker when we made our pastrami, and the rest went to the freezer.
2 Atlantic salmon fillets, about 6 oz. each* (see notes)
3 Tbsp. real maple syrup, preferably dark*
3 Tbsp. bourbon
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. Boyajian maple extract*
2 cedar wraps, soaked at least 5 minutes* (optional, see notes)
Small handful of wasabi & soy sauce almonds*
*Notes
The salmon fillets may be skinless or skin-on; it doesn’t matter because the skin will remain on the cedar wrap after grilling, which makes plating this dish super simple. If your seafood market has steelhead trout or arctic char, they would also be delicious in this recipe, but adjust your grilling time. Both are usually thinner and would cook more quickly.
For the love of good taste, please do not use a fake “maple-ish” syrup from the grocery store. Real maple is the best, and totally worth the expense. There are plenty of resources for good quality maple products; I order mine online from Big Tree Maple in Lakewood, N.Y. Why? Because I grew up under the shade of those lovely trees and they know me.
The maple extract, which is optional, amplifies the flavor of the syrup without adding sweetness. Look for it in gourmet specialty stores, or online at King Arthur Baking Company. Another product I like for this purpose is maple-infused balsamic vinegar, which is easy to find in one of the specialty balsamic shops that have popped up all over the U.S. If you substitute with the balsamic, use about 1/2 teaspoon.
Cedar wood, when soaked and grilled, lends a phenomenal flavor to salmon. If you choose planks, be certain they are designed for culinary use. Cedar grilling planks should be submerged fully underwater for at least an hour, but I like the wraps because they only require soaking a few minutes. You could probably also use soaked cedar chips in a smoker box, alongside the salmon on your grill.
The wasabi & soy sauce almonds are a Blue Diamond product, and you’ll find them in the small cans in the snack aisle of your supermarket, alongside cans of peanuts and mixed nuts. I’m crazy about the horseradish-y flavor, and it is remarkably good against the sweetness of maple and bourbon.
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
1 lb. potatoes (I used a combination of russet and golds)
2 Tbsp. salted butter (extra if you’d like)
1/4 cup thick buttermilk
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
Asparagus
1 average bundle fresh asparagus
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Zest of 1/2 fresh lemon (optional)
Instructions
You will want to marinate the salmon fillets a couple of hours, so plan this quick prep for mid-afternoon. I’ll run through the easy steps for the salmon here. For visual direction on the buttermilk mashed potatoes, check out my recent post for Bangers & Mash; it is the same recipe, though ingredient amounts are adjusted here for this dish.
Equal parts real maple syrup and bourbon, plus Dijon with salt and pepper. Please do not use fake syrup for this recipe!
Drizzle the olive oil into the marinade, and whisk as you go to create an emulsion. This ensures the marinade evenly flavors the fish.
If you can find it, this maple extract delivers a big punch of maple flavor to the marinade, but use it sparingly! I ordered mine from King Arthur Baking Company, or watch for it in gourmet specialty stores.
Pour the marinade over the fillets, then turn them flesh side-down for a nice long soaking. Hold back a small amount of marinade to drizzle on the salmon at serving time.
The cedar wraps are larger than most of my baking dishes, so I soaked them (and the tying twine) in my deep dish pizza pan. Unlike planks, these thin wraps only require a few minutes of soaking.
Lay out the cedar wrap, with the twine underneath, and angle it in the direction it wants to bend.
Place the marinated fillets on the wraps, fold them up and tie the twine.
The almond garnish is optional, but I love the way the wasabi and soy sauce complement the sweetness of the maple and bourbon. A small handful of almonds is plenty.
Chop them up into rough pieces, either with a knife or a few quick pulses of a food processor. The little bit of texture is nice with the soft, delicate fish.
Yippee for asparagus season! I popped these trimmed spears into the 400° F oven just before the cedar-wrapped salmon hit the grill. 15 minutes is just the way we like it.
I could not resist making our favorite Smoked Maple Old Fashioned cocktails as my husband, Les, and I prepared dinner. I’ll share this recipe soon!
Les tended the salmon, which spent about 13 minutes on the grill at 350° F (direct heat). You can see where he peeled back one edge of the cedar to test the fish for flakiness.
Oh my gosh, I wish you could smell this! Maple, bourbon, cedar… mmm.
The salmon skin gets stuck to the cedar, which makes plating a snap. Lay the fillet over a mound of buttermilk-horseradish potatoes, drizzle with the reserved maple marinade and sprinkle on the almonds.
Time for dinner!
Season the salmon fillets with kosher salt and black pepper. Place them, skin side down, in a glass baking dish.
Combine the maple syrup, bourbon and Dijon mustard in a measuring cup with a pour spout, Whisk in olive oil and maple extract (if using). Pour most of the marinade evenly over the salmon fillets, reserving about a tablespoon of it to drizzle over at serving. Turn the fillets over, so that the fleshy side rests in the marinade, and wiggle them around to be sure the marinade coats the exposed sides of the fish. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour, preferably about two hours.
Peel and cut up the potatoes. Boil gently until they are easily pierced with a fork, then drain over a colander.
Add butter and buttermilk to the cooking pot and stir until butter is melted. Transfer drained potatoes back to the pot and mash to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in horseradish and more butter, if desired. Keep potatoes warm until serving time.
While the potatoes cook, prepare your grill, with temperature at 350° F. Soak cedar wraps and tying twine for at least five minutes.
Remove salmon fillets from marinade. Center them, skin side-down, on the soaked wraps and fold up the sides to enclose them, tying snugly with twine.
Place the cedar-wrapped salmon onto a grilling rack, and cook over direct heat for about 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with the twist of a fork. You may need to peel back a piece of the cedar wrap to test the flakiness.
Cut the twine to unwrap the cedar and serve the fish atop a mound of the buttermilk-horseradish potatoes alongside your favorite vegetable. Chop the soy-wasabi almonds into crumb-sized pieces. Drizzle salmon with reserved marinade and sprinkle with almonds.
Make the asparagus concurrently with the potatoes and salmon
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prep the asparagus by snapping off the trimmed ends. Rinse under running water and roll them around on a paper towel to dry them.
Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and roll them to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes. Finish with a sprinkle of lemon zest. If you slide the asparagus into the oven just before the salmon goes on the grill, it will be done right on time!
You may be wondering if I’m a paid endorser for the brands and products I spotlight on Comfort du Jour, and the answer is “no.” I do not receive money or merchandise for my recommendations, and what that means for you is that you can count on me to give an honest opinion. If something changes, I will update my disclosures. Either way, you can still count on me to be honest in my recommendations, as I will only stand behind services and products I believe in. Fair enough? 😀
Most every night for the past few months, I have awakened around 3 a.m., for no apparent reason. My insomnia usually lasts at least an hour and a half, during which time I ponder all of the good and evil in the world, or play mindless word games on my smartphone, or venture into the dark corners of our house to find and snuggle our sleeping pets. I’d like to make one suggestion for others who have experienced this phenomenon of waking at 3 a.m.—do not pick up your phone and begin Googling possible causes for said awakenings. The search results are grim, and in a matter of moments, you will begin to question everything from your diet (am I eating sugar too close to bedtime?) to your spiritual condition (what do you mean, exactly, by ‘witching hour?’). My therapist believes I am probably flummoxed over a combination of things, related mostly to work-from-home stress and general pandemic fatigue. Whatever the case, I’m exhausted. Every once in a while though, these sleep interruptions result in something good, and this recipe is a fine example of that.
Out of the blue two weeks ago, I awakened with a start and asked myself why I had never made fish cakes with sriracha and scallions. You might be thinking this is a bizarre question to ask oneself so urgently at 3 in the freakin’ morning, and you’d be correct, but this is my life now. Once I go down that rabbit hole, it isn’t long before I begin dreaming up ideas of just how such a dream dish should be completed, right down to the garnish. Sometimes I pick up my phone and make record of my ideas—and that’s a smart thing, because if I don’t jot it down, my next successful 40 winks may wipe it clean out of my brain. From this particular wide-awake culinary epiphany, I made these exact notes, because I didn’t want to forget what sounded like a great recipe.
I mean, isn’t this the kind of thing that wakes everyone up at 3 a.m.??
It took me a few days to round up my ingredients, and when I got down to it last week, with a few tweaks to my original plan, the result was delicious! These scallion-sriracha salmon cakes were light and fresh, low calorie and easy as could be to make, with just enough heat to make your tongue tingle. I modeled the ratio of ingredients after my favorite crab cake recipe, using only enough mayonnaise and panko crumbs to hold the flaky salmon together with the finely minced garlic and red bell pepper. A little extra panko on the outside before pan frying gave the cakes a terrific crispiness to offset the moist and tender interior.
And the flavor was exactly as I dreamed.
Crispy coating, tender inside, spicy and delicious; these turned out just as I imagined!
1/4 cup panko crumbs, plus extra for shaping cakes
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
*Notes
Fish sauce is a pungent, fermented condiment found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If you cannot find it, substitute with soy sauce.
The Asian Reds hot pepper flakes are a specialty item that popped up a while back in my hubby’s Facebook feed, and we could not resist ordering a variety of products from this company, though we have no financial incentive from doing so. I like this pepper seasoning because it includes the hard-to-find varieties of pepper that play so well with other Asian flavors, including the sriracha in this recipe. If you don’t want to spring for them, substitute any crushed red pepper flakes, or omit them for less heat.
We are loving these Asian Reds pepper flakes. They offer a different variety of hot pepper flavors that is a perfect highlight with other Asian ingredients.
Instructions
Here we go with pictures, and keep scrolling for written steps and a downloadable copy for your recipe files!
Quick-cook the salmon fillet until it’s just done enough to flake easily. Better to have it underdone than overdone, because it will be cooked again.
Combine the mayo, sriracha and fish sauce in a medium bowl.
Measure out about 3 tablespoons of the mayo mixture to dress up the finished salmon cakes. I used a zip-top snack bag as a makeshift piping bag for this purpose.
To the remaining mayo mixture, add minced peppers, garlic and half of the chopped scallions, reserving the other half for garnish.
I made a very small batch, so only used about half of my beaten egg. Save the rest for your next omelet. 🙂
Gently fold in the flaked salmon with a spatula to avoid shredding it too much.
To help me visually plan for even portions, I used my spatula to divide the salmon mixture into fourths.
Use a sprinkling of additional panko in your hand to help shape the salmon cakes, and to leave a light panko coating on them for crispy frying.
Shape the salmon cakes into a patty shape about three inches across, and about 3/4 inch thick.
After shaping, place the salmon cakes on a parchment lined cookie sheet or plate. Cover and refrigerate them at least a couple of hours.
In a non-stick or cast-iron skillet, heat the peanut oil and cook the salmon cakes, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Turn them when the first side is lightly browned and crispy.
Arrange the cakes over rice, and snip a corner in the zip-top bag to pipe on the remaining sriracha mayo. This is one of my favorite plating tricks. 🙂
Sprinkle with reserved scallions and serve with your favorite vegetable.
Heat a small, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pan steam or lightly sauté salmon fillet until just flaky (better slightly underdone than overdone). Cool then refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Combine mayo with sriracha and fish sauce; measure out about 3 Tbsp. for finishing the cakes at serving. I put the reserved portion into a zip-top snack bag (sort of a makeshift piping bag).
Add half of the chopped scallions, red pepper, garlic and spicy Asian Reds seasoning to remaining mayo mixture. Fold in beaten egg and panko crumbs.
Flake fish into large-ish pieces and gently fold into mayo mixture, taking care not to break up the fish pieces too much. Sprinkle additional panko crumbs into your hand and shape mixture into four patties, about the size of hockey pucks, with a light coating of panko on both sides. Place each fish cake onto a parchment lined plate or small baking sheet.
Cover the fish cakes with plastic wrap and chill at least two hours. This gives the mixture time to firm up, and the panko will absorb some of the moisture to better bind the cakes.
Heat peanut oil in a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook salmon cakes 3 or 4 minutes per side, until browned and crisp. Serve over rice with your favorite vegetables, top salmon cakes with reserved sriracha mayo drizzle and reserved scallion slices.
There has been a fresh and flavorful shift in our kitchen over the past couple of weeks, and it feels so right! My husband, Les, and I have been eating healthier after the holidays, not for keeping resolutions (we don’t bother with those), but out of simple desire to care for our bodies better after a season of splurging. Seafood has been the star of this menu reboot, and I’ve brought back into rotation one of my favorite all-time recipes, a seared fillet of fish rested on a mélange of tender sautéed fennel with creamy cannellini beans and sweet tomatoes.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ll confess right here that I actually did not use salmon this time, but steelhead trout. This is a sweet and creamy fish, similar in texture (and appearance) to a farm-raised salmon, and when I can get my hands on steelhead trout, I love to swap it into favorite salmon recipes, including the salmon in phyllo dish that I shared in December. But steelhead trout isn’t always easy to find, especially while adhering to the best practice standards set by the Marine Stewardship Council (sustainability means a lot to me). The dish is every bit as delicious when made with your favorite salmon, which is usually much easier to find.
This dish is satisfying, healthful and full of flavor!
It looks and tastes more extravagant than it is, and although I’ve named it “fish with fennel,” it would be better described as fennel with fish, given that the fennel shows up in three different forms—the seeds are ground to a powder for crusting on the fillets, the vegetable is caramelized in the mélange beneath the fish, and the fronds are chopped and sprinkled on top.
Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle, or use an electric spice grinder.The fennel is cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick.The fennel fronds are soft like dill. Chop them as fine as you’d like.
Would it surprise you to know that you can have this meal on the table in about 35 minutes, start to finish? It’s true. And Les, who is practically a living nutritional calculator, announced after cleaning his plate that our meal probably checked in at fewer than 400 calories per serving, which is not too shabby for such a flavorful, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
So few ingredients, yet so much flavor!
2 portions salmon*, skin removed (see notes)
1 tsp. fennel seed, ground to a rough powder
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bulb fennel, sliced* (should measure about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes (or canned, drained well)
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth + 2 Tbsp. dry white wine* (or all vegetable broth)
15 oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. fennel fronds, chopped or minced
*Notes
Any type of salmon (wild sockeye, king, coho, etc.) works well in this recipe, but you might also consider swapping in another fish, such as arctic char or steelhead trout, which I used. If you are not comfortable removing the skin yourself, ask the seafood clerk to do it for you. Learn this task, and you’ll be unstoppable!
Fennel is a less common vegetable, one that you may have passed over in the supermarket for something more recognizable. It resembles something between celery and bok choy, but tastes nothing like either. It is crunchy with a slightly licorice flavor, and it pairs beautifully with all kinds of fish, especially when sautéed or stewed. The seed part of fennel might be more familiar to you. It’s the flavor that makes Italian sausage taste Italian.
If you use wine to deglaze the skillet, make it a dry one, such as pinot grigio. Alternatively, I frequently reach for dry vermouth, given that I always have a bottle open in the fridge. If you prefer to not use wine, just add another splash of vegetable broth, no problem.
Instructions
It’s OK to have a few chunky pieces of fennel remaining after grinding.
Salt and pepper the salmon fillets, then press the fennel seed onto both sides.
To test the oil for proper temperature, I cooked this scrap of fish first, then surprised our pets with it. In this house, we never miss a chance to spoil the “babies!” ❤
When the oiled pan is good and hot, sear the fillets.
Check for this golden crispy appearance, and only turn the fish once.
The variety of texture is one of the things that makes this dish so interesting.
Saute the fennel pieces until they are soft and caramelized.
Add the tomatoes and give the blend another quick sprinkle of salt.
Stir in the broth and wine, then add the drained white beans.
No need to break out a tablespoon to measure. Just run a circle of Dijon around the beans. That’s just about right! 🙂
Slip the seared fillets on top of the melange and cover to simmer on low for about 8 minutes.
Plate the salmon fillet on top of the melange, and sprinkle the chopped fennel fronds on top.
Using a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder, crush the fennel seeds to a rough powder. Don’t have either? Try putting the seeds into a bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Season the fish fillets with kosher salt and pepper, then sprinkle the fennel powder onto both sides of the fillets and press to fully adhere it.
Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. When oil is hot and shimmery (but not smoking), lay fish fillets into pan. Cook about two minutes, then carefully turn fillets to cook the other side another two minutes. Transfer fish to a small plate and keep warm. I usually slip it into the microwave while I make the mélange.
Add fennel pieces to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté, tossing occasionally, until fennel is caramelized and tender, about five minutes.
Add tomatoes, then broth, plus wine. Stir until combined and liquid is simmering.
Add beans and mustard. Toss to combine, reduce heat to low.
Return fish to the pan, resting the fillets on top of the mixture. Cover and simmer on low for about 8 minutes, which is just about enough time to set the table and chop the fennel fronds.
Plate the meal, with fish fillet resting on top of the fennel-bean mixture. Sprinkle the chopped fennel fronds on top and serve.
If you think “elegant” and “easy” cannot co-exist in the kitchen, allow me to introduce you to this moist and flaky salmon, wrapped in layer upon layer of crispy buttery phyllo and dressed with a champagne-and-cream sauce that sends it over the top. As impressive and fancy as this sounds, you may find it hard to believe that it is easy to make. But if you can use a paintbrush and wrap a small birthday gift, you have the skills to do this.
Don’t be intimidated by the delicate, flaky layers of phyllo. This paper-thin wheat dough that is popular in Greek and other Mediterranean cuisine is not as fussy as it may seem. My first experience with phyllo was years ago in a catering kitchen, where I worked part-time during peak seasons, including holidays. The kitchen team wrapped this stuff around nearly everything in those days—appetizers, entrees and desserts—and though I was nervous at first about handling phyllo, I got over it quickly with a few helpful tips. Give it time to thaw overnight before you start, brush or spray every layer with oil or melted butter, and do your best to keep the extra sheets covered so they don’t dry out. Those are the key rules. Get it right and the rest is easy.
There is flexibility in this recipe, too. You can swap out the seasonings, use different fish and even change up the sauce if you want. Once you nail the technique of phyllo (which you will after this), there are many possibilities. Finally, whether you’ll be serving two people or eight, you’ll appreciate being able to prepare these cute little “packages” ahead of time and just pop them in the oven in time for dinner. Yes, so much easier than it looks. But every bit as elegant; the champagne cream sauce can be whipped up while the salmon is in the oven.
For a restaurant quality presentation, here’s a simple trick I learned from pro caterers: place the salmon phyllo packet on top of the sauce rather than smothering it. You’ll want your loved ones and guests to see the full beauty of the delicate phyllo. This little flip is one of the simplest things you can do at home to elevate a meal that includes a sauce. Let the swooning commence.
My recipe is for two adult servings. Adjust accordingly for extra portions.
The butter between layers makes the phyllo extra flaky, and the salmon remains moist inside the packet.
Ingredients
Fresh salmon fillet (5 oz. for each serving), skin removed* (see notes)
Salt and pepper
Fresh or dried dill leaves
5 sheets phyllo dough*
1/2 stick salted butter, melted (possibly more if you brush heavily)
Some packaged phyllo are very large sheets. These are 9 x 14″ and very manageable. You only need to thaw one sleeve.
How can so few ingredients create such an impressive meal?
Shallot on the left, scallions on the right. Please don’t confuse these because the flavor is very different. If you need to substitute, use very finely minced sweet or red onion.
Champagne Cream Sauce
1/2 cup champagne (or dry white wine, such as pinot grigio)
1 small shallot, finely minced*
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup half & half (or light cream)
1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
A couple of pinches of white pepper
*Notes
If your supermarket offers pre-portioned salmon fillets, that’s a good way to go. Ideally, you want the skin removed from the fish (they will usually do this for you at the fish counter, but I will teach you how to do it yourself).
Any kind of salmon (sockeye, king, coho, etc.) works for this recipe, but you may also substitute steelhead (ocean) trout or arctic char. Both are mild in flavor but similar in texture to farm-raised salmon. In the photos for this post, I used steelhead trout and it was delicious.
Phyllo is a paper-thin wheat dough, popular in Greek and other Mediterranean cuisine. You’ll find it in the freezer section near the pie crusts and puff pastry. The brand I buy comes in 9 x 14” sheets, which are very manageable and large enough to wrap two fillets.
If you don’t have shallots, substitute very finely minced sweet or red onion. Do not confuse scallions for shallots. As you can see, they are most definitely not the same. 😊
You’re about to see how easy it is to make this impressive phyllo-wrapped salmon, but first, a few tips for success when working with phyllo:
Use melted butter on every layer of the phyllo. Keep the new sheets covered with a clean towel to prevent them drying out as you work. Use a pastry mat for brushing the phyllo with butter or clean your counter really well before and after. Transfer unused phyllo to a gallon-sized zip top bag and seal, squeezing out as much air as possible. Store it in the refrigerator but try to use it within a week.
Instructions
Gather up the tools you’ll need, including a sharp chef knife (to remove salmon skin), a pastry mat or clean section of counter space, a heavy-duty baking sheet and a pastry brush for spreading butter on the phyllo layers.
Have a look at the slides first, then keep scrolling for written instructions and a downloadable PDF for your recipe files.
Phyllo can dry out very quickly. My extra sheets are stacked under the clean towel, with a damp paper towel on top for extra protection.
The first few sheets may tear, but this is OK. Keep brushing and layering until you have 5 sheets total. Butter all the way to the edges.
You only need about an inch of phyllo on the sides of the fillets, but the top and bottom should be able to fold and cover them.
I’ve used dill, but dried (or fresh) thyme leaves would also be delicious.
Place the seasoned fillet upside-down, as the bottom of the packet will become the presentation side.
Fold the bottom of the phyllo stack up over the fillet, then press the sides in to seal the edges.
The phyllo will not stick to itself, but it will retain its shape for baking.
Brush the packet generously with the melted butter.
Flip it over and brush the other side, too.
Place the buttered packets, seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Slowly whisk the half & half mixture into the reduced champagne. It will thicken quickly.
It will be delicately crispy and golden brown from the oven.
Best catering trick ever. Put the sauce on the plate first, so your guests can ooh and aah over the buttery, flaky phyllo packet.
I like to cut things on diagonal for more visual interest.
Follow package instructions for thawing the phyllo. It usually requires overnight in the fridge or a few hours on the counter.
Preheat oven to 375° F, with oven rack in the center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the skin from the salmon if the fishmonger did not do this for you. Beginning at the tail end with the flesh side up, carefully slide the tip of a sharp knife between the flesh and skin, just enough to loosen about 2 inches of skin. Grab the skin with a paper towel. Position the knife at a low angle, and gently tug the skin side to side, holding the knife firmly in place. Continue to pull the skin until it releases from the fillet.
Cut the fish into equal portions, approximately 5 ounces each. Sprinkle the fillets with salt, pepper and dried dill leaves. Set aside.
Spray a pastry mat or clean section of the counter with olive oil spray. Melt butter in a small bowl. You may need to re-heat the butter as you go. Unroll the phyllo dough so that the sheets are lying flat.
Carefully spread one sheet of phyllo dough onto the counter, gently pressing down the edges to keep it in place. It may tear or fold on itself in some place, but this is OK. The layers will help to hide imperfections so just keep going. Remember to cover the remaining phyllo sheets with a clean towel and damp paper towel to prevent them from drying while you work.
Brush melted butter all over the phyllo sheet, starting in the center, and cover the full sheet all the way to the edges. Repeat with four more layers of phyllo.
Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo stack in half, creating two smaller rectangle-shaped stacks. Arrange the salmon fillets, face side-down on the center of each new rectangle.
Fold the short end of the phyllo stack up over the salmon, then fold in the sides and the other end. Brush the packet with melted butter, then turn it over and brush the other side. Transfer the packet to the cookie sheet and repeat with the other fish packet. If you are working ahead, cover with plastic film and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, remove from fridge while oven preheats.
Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes, until phyllo is golden brown. Prepare sauce while fish is baking.
Spoon a portion of sauce onto each serving plate. Carefully cut fish packet in half and stack the halves on top of the champagne cream sauce.
Serve with your favorite roasted vegetable or a fresh crisp salad. Oh, and about the rest of that champagne… 🙂 🍾
Champagne Mustard Cream Sauce
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine champagne and shallots. Cook over medium heat to a light boil, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Whisk flour into half & half until smooth. Add to champagne mixture and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in Dijon mustard, white pepper and salt to taste. Keep sauce warm until ready to serve.
Comfort du Jour 