Wild Salmon Bake with Sauce Vierge

With Roma tomatoes, shallots and chives, this bright and simple recipe for sauce vierge from chef Ned Bell is going to make salmon fillets sing—and save you time on the prep side, too. Sauce vierge 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 3 cups) 1 large shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup) ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley ½ cup chopped fresh chives 3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil Zest and juice of 1 large lemon Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper Salmon 1 salmon fillet (2 to 3 lb) Olive oil, for brushing the salmon and for drizzling Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper ½ lemon 1.

Sauce vierge: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. 2.

Salmon: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the skin of the salmon with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. 3.

Place the salmon skin side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Add the lemon cut side up beside the salmon, and bake for about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part should read 120° F to 125° F. Set aside to rest for 2 to 3 minutes. 4.

Add a few generous spoonfuls of sauce vierge on top, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the charred lemon. Serves 8.

Chef’s notes: Alternatively, preheat the grill and cook on the grate skin side down. ( The barbecue acts like an “oven” with the lid closed so you cook the fish evenly.) EXCERPTED FROM LURE BY NED BELL AND VALERIE HOWES. PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN CLARK. COPYRIGHT 2017 BY CHEFS FOR OCEANS; RECIPES COPYRIGHT BY NED BELL. EXCERPTED WITH PERMISSION FROM FIGURE 1. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS EXCERPT MAY BE REPRODUCED OR REPRINTED WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER.