Ever heard of lemon on broccolini? Well let me introduce you to this wonder.
Happy Thursday everyone! Not quite so sure what's up with the weird weather here. I was starting to look like spring earlier this week, and then last night we got a massive dump of snow; so staring out my window, it looks like a winter wonderland.
I'm not super thrilled because I was REALLY looking forward to the warmer weather. I think it's supposed to be warmer this weekend so I'm hoping that all the snow will melt again.
Having a winter flashback reminds me of the importance of vitamin C, which leads me to this amazing salmon recipe, which has tons of lemon hints throughout.
Usually I like to bake my salmon because it takes out the need for excess oil in cooking. However, while trying to use my oven less, I've fallen in love again with searing it in a skillet. It yields a perfectly crisp seared exterior while the interior stays nice and mmm tender. This salmon came out perfect. It was a delicious and light meal full of flavor.
Pan searing also gives it an amazing crust. It's so nice how fast salmon is ready - It only took about 5 minutes and was perfectly flaky and tender.
In my opinion, you should always add some sort of acid with your salmon. The lemon gave it a hint of citrus flavor and the pepper was the perfect spice.
I experimented this time with the broccolini. Usually I use green beans, but on my trip to the grocery store, I stumbled upon some broccolini and thought I'd give it a go. The lemon paired so nicely with the dark greenery of this vegetable. If this is too simple, feel free to jazz it up with some chopped toasted almonds, or a little nutritional yeast…
Mushrooms are one of my favorite side dishes. This version is slightly tangy and goes well with just about any kind of steak (hint hint) or a seared fish dish.
One note on the balsamic - it's very easy to buy fake balsamic vinegar.
Most popular brands at supermarkets use additives and chemicals that render them harmful to consume. Some of these include thickeners and caramel coloring. Other manufacturers simply dilute their brands with wine vinegar. This mimics a common practice where food manufacturers blend olive oil with cheaper vegetable oils such as sunflower, soy or canola. The other major problem is that buying organic is no guarantee of quality either.
Real balsamic vinegar is a fermented “live” food, which means that it has a lot of health benefits. Fermented foods have enzymes and probiotics, which can help with gut health. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants found in many foods, including balsamic vinegar.
SALMON WITH LEMON BROCCOLINI AND SWEET SHROOMS
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. boneless salmon fillet
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, zested (1.5 Tbsp and 1/2 juiced)
1 lb. broccolini
1 package of mushrooms (about 227g)
1 onion diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil, for beans
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a skillet on medium heat and on another burner, bring a pot of water to a boil.
While they're heating, whisk together in a bowl olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle the salmon fillets with pepper and coat each side in the olive oil and lemon juice. Let them rest in the bowl until the pan is heated.
While the salmon is resting, de-stem your beans, chop the mushrooms, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
When the water is boiling, add the broccolini and cook for 4 minutes.
Add some oil to the skillet and add the onion and garlic, sautée for about 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and the balsamic and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper for taste. Remove from pan.
Place salmon fillets in the pan skin side down. Cover the top and let them cook for 4-5 minutes until cooked throughout. (I like to pan sear the crust so once they are finished, I flip them over for a few seconds to brown the top). Sprinkle with fresh lemon.
While the fish is cooking, top the broccolini with 2 tsp olive oil, some salt and pepper, garlic powder, zested lemon and a little bit of lemon juice.
Serve the salmon with the mushrooms and broccolini on the side and enjoy!
NOTES
You can use green beans instead of broccolini if you want.
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