ROASTED SALMON WITH FENNEL, TOMATOES AND POTATOES

Fennel and salmon are a match made in heaven. The richness of salmon is contrasted by the bright aromatic fennel and mellow roasted tomatoes. The combination of lemon, garlic, and olive oil — ingredients that define Mediterranean cooking — makes an intensely flavorful, vibrant dish. This roasted salmon with fennel, tomatoes, and potatoes is a simple, quick weeknight one-pan dinner. It is one of those dishes that are so tasty and healthy, a breeze to assemble, yet elegant enough to share with friends.

INGREDIENTS

4 wild caught salmon fillets, 1 large fennel bulb and the leaves, 8 oz grape tomatoes, 1.5 lb Baby Red potatoes, 2 tbsp garlic minced, 1 lemon zested and juiced, 6 tbsp olive oil extra virgin, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp pink peppercorns crushed.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Rinse and then cut the potatoes in half (or quarters, if necessary) to have bite-sized pieces. Wash the fennel and separate the bulb from the leaves. Cut the bulb and thick parts of the stems into 1/2" slices. Finely chop 2 tbsp of the leaves and set aside. Keep some more of the leaves for garnish. Add the potatoes, fennel bulb, and stems to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 4 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, 1/4 tsp pink pepper, 1 tbsp of the garlic, and half of the lemon zest. Stir to spread the olive oil and spices evenly on the vegetables. Bake for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are halfway cooked, stirring a couple of times to ensure even browning the vegetables. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half and prepare the salmon fillets.

Rub the surface of the fillets with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, the remaining pink pepper, garlic, lemon zest, and fennel leaves. Remove the pan from the oven, stir gently and re-arrange them, making “nests” leaving space for the fish. Place the salmon fillets in the nests and sprinkle with the tomatoes. Bake for 15 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked but not dry. Drizzle with the lemon juice, sprinkle with some of the remaining fennel leaves, and serve.