Simple Salmon with Lemon and Dill
By now, everybody knows (wild-caught Alaskan) salmon is a health food. It’s chalked full of Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s high in protein and is a great source of Vitamins B6 and B12 and minerals like selenium, phosphorus and potassium (source).
Unfortunately, my family doesn’t really like salmon. After several years of marriage and many coerced meals, my husband now eats it without much push-back. Occasionally he even smiles and says he likes it. My mother on the other hand, all but refuses to eat salmon. She basically has to douse each bite with a half cup of lemon juice before she can choke it down!
Mom’s problem is that she’s been served (not by me) too many dry, fishy-tasting salmon entrées over the years, so she believes she doesn’t like it. Our lovely and generous neighbors recently bestowed upon us a beautiful 2 lb. (wild caught) Alaskan salmon filet. On a particularly hectic weeknight, I decided to make that gorgeous salmon filet for dinner, despite my mother’s protestations.
To accommodate my mother’s need for lemon flavor, I used both freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon slice slices. The salmon basically steams in the lemon juice, water and oils, sealing in the flavor and preserving all the tender, flaky wonderfulness of the salmon!
LEMONS!
The secret to any successful fish recipe is not to overcook it. I’m convinced the reason so many people dislike fish is because so many people overcook it. So keep this in mind. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly to account for your oven or the thickness of your salmon filets (our filet was fairly thin). Set your oven timer if you need to. And remember to allow for several minutes rest time after removing the baked salmon from the oven (step #6 below) before serving. During this time, the fish will continue to cook somewhat, so it is better to err on the side of slightly shorter oven cooking time if you are uncertain.
Ingredients:
• 2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
• 2 Tbsp. Distilled water
• 2 lb. Wild caught Alaskan salmon, skin on
• 1 tsp. Sea salt
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder or 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• ¼ tsp. Dried Dill or 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. ghee (clarified butter), melted
• 1 Whole lemon, thinly sliced (preferably organic)
Hardware:
• Glass measuring cup
• Small chef’s knife and cutting board
• Citrus juicer
• Measuring spoons
• 9 X 13” Baking dish or pan
• Aluminum foil
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 340° Fahrenheit (171° Celsius).
2. Wash and slice whole lemon. Then prepare 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Set aside.
3. In a glass measuring cup, combine 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 2 Tbsp. water. Stir mixture to combine, and pour mixture into 9 X 13” baking dish.
4. Next place salmon skin-side down over the mixture in baking dish. Then sprinkle salmon evenly with salt, garlic and dill. Drizzle salmon with melted ghee. Then lay lemon slices on top of salmon.
5. Cover the entire baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. And bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Do NOT over cook salmon.
6. Allow salmon to rest 10 minutes. Then remove foil. Serve and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions and Notes: I served this with a simple green salad and Crispy Fried Sprouts because I happened to have a couple bags of shredded brussels sprouts on hand. But I think salmon also pairs well with steamed asparagus, crispy roasted green beans, broccoli, zucchini or any green vegetable you have on hand. These Quick and Easy Crispy Potatoes are a simple and delicious are a #Whole30 compliant side dish sure to please the whole family.
Wisdom for the Day:
When they went ashore, they saw a fire with a fish lying on the coals, and they saw a loaf of bread. Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” Simon Peter got into the boat and pulled the net ashore. Though the net was filled with 153 large fish, it was not torn. Jesus told them, “Come, have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared to ask him who he was. They knew he was the Lord. ~John 21:9-12 (God’s Word Translation)
Read more here.
