Roasted Ginger Salmon with Pomegranate Olive Mint Salsa
Makes 4 Servings • Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 20 minutes to marinate • Cook Time: 15 minutes
ingredients
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, pin bones removed
Sea salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup Pomegranate Olive Mint Salsa (optional - recipe below)
preparations
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, olive oil, ginger, and cayenne. Place the salmon in a baking dish and season each piece with a pinch of salt. Pour half of the marinade over the salmon and turn to coat well. Cover the baking dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Remove the salmon from the refrigerator, uncover, and add 2 tablespoons water to the dish. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, just until tender and opaque and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 120°F.
While the salmon is cooking, combine the reserved marinade and the mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour the reduction over the fillets. Spoon the salsa on top of each fillet, and serve immediately.
COOK'S NOTE
Like Goldilocks and the three bears, fish has to be just right. Too much time in the oven or on the grill leaves your fish too dry. Too little time and you will have raw fish. As with many other proteins, fish continues to cook for several minutes after you take it off the heat. This is called carryover cooking. Let an instant read thermometer be your guide and pull your fish away from the heat at 120°F. By the time you’re ready to serve it, your fish will be perfect.
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Pomegranate Olive Mint Salsa
Makes about 2 ½ CUPS • Prep Time: 15 minutes
ingredients
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped mint
½ cup kalamata or green olives, chopped
½ cup finely chopped fennel
¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional and when in season)
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
preparations
Put the parsley, mint, olives, fennel, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, scallions, olive oil, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, black pepper, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and stir gently to combine. For optimal flavor, cover and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Taste; you may want to add another squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt.
Cook’s Note
It’s just as delicious with or without the pomegranate seeds. Use any leftovers over Baked Chicken, in a salad or as a dip.
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reprinted with permissions from The Healthy Mind Cookbook: Big Flavor Recipes to Enhance Brain Function, Mood, Memory, and Mental Clarity. Copyright © 2015 . Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.