Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Cami's Roasted Salmon with Peppers


My aunt is a really good cook. I mean, really good cook. She taught me to make salmon this way and it has become my favorite way to prepare salmon--especially since you can use the wild-caught, individually frozen, portions from Costco. It's so easy this way!

And remember that bit about salmon being one of the world's healthiest foods? Well, it is! The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of heart-healthy fish a week. There are cardiovascular benefits associated with the Omega-3s that can be found in fish oil. I have read that apparently, fresh, wild-caught salmon has been known to have greater amounts of protein. Wild-caught salmon (like sockeye or chinook) have less calories and fat--but the farm-raised salmon has a milder flavor. This is a great article from WebMd on 'good' fats.
The lemon, garlic, wine, bay leaves, and olive oil combine to a delicious and flavorful sauce to complement the baked fish.

CAMI’S ROASTED CITRUS SALMON WITH PEPPERS

6 pieces of wild-caught salmon (I prefer smaller pieces if possible)
1 small lemon, sliced in thin wedges
2 medium red bell peppers, cut up in chunks
1 large onion, cut up in chunks
2-4 garlic cloves, finely minced (crushed would be best)
4-5 pieces of bay leaves
½ cup white wine (approximately)
¼ cup olive oil (approximately)
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to about 425 degrees.

Arrange cut up peppers, onions, and bay leaves on a large baking sheet. Put salmon on top of all these. If your garlic is very finely minced, mix it in with your wine. If not, sprinkle the garlic on top of the fish. Pour the wine on top of all the ingredients and then drizzle all the fish, onions, peppers, etc. with olive oil. Lastly, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 15 minutes—or until your fish is baked through and opaque. (Test with fork and make sure fish “flakes”.)

REMOVE the lemon before serving. The lemon is added to give flavor to the fish but is not meant to be eaten.


**It’s easier to bake it if you are serving 6 people. But, if you scale back the recipe for just 2-4 people, all ingredients can be placed in a very large skillet on the stovetop. Cook over medium heat. Don’t flip the fish over for a few minutes until the side on the heat sears evenly. Then flip and let the other side sear as well. This method seems to produce a crispier texture than baking.

Serves 6 people--and if your fish pieces are bigger, 8 people.

This entree is delicious with green beans and couscous or baked potatoes.


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