Sometimes you need an elegant, deeply satisfying dinner that requires minimal effort in a hurry. This recipe is it. The tomatoes burst while baking resulting in a salmon that both roasts and poaches in the garlicky, tomatoey juices at once. Just add bread or some other vehicle for sopping up the flavorful goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fillet, skin removed (or not)
- 2 pints cherry, grape of other small tomatoes, left whole
- 3 cloves garlic, divided (2 roughly chopped and 1 minced)
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh herbs (mostly parsley is nice but throw in some scallions, dill, basil, tarragon, etc.)
- 1 lemon, zested and the flesh sliced into wedges
- Evoo
- Kosher salt and pepper
Method
Line a baking dish that will snugly fit the tomatoes in a single layer and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In the baking dish, toss the tomatoes and 2 roughly chopped garlic cloves with a very generous drizzle of evoo and shower of salt and black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until the tomatoes begin to burst and the dish looks saucy.
Meanwhile, season the salmon with salt and pepper. Remove the tomato baking dish from the oven and push the tomatoes to the side, plopping the salmon fillet in the empty space you’ve created. Spoon some of the olive oil/tomato juices over the top. Roast for an additional 15 minutes if your fillet is in one large piece or for about 10-12 minutes if cut into individual servings.
While the salmon roasts, roughly chop the herbs and add them to a small bowl. Zest in the lemon, season with salt and pepper and moisten with olive oil. Slice the lemon into wedges.
Remove the salmon from the oven. Allow each person to top with their own herb sauce and lemon wedges. This would be delicious served with roasted potatoes, farro, or crusty bread slathered with fresh goat cheese.
Serves 4