Oven roasted salmon filet sitting atop lentils braised in broth and vegetables. A simple, but absolutely delicious meal that can be prepared on a weeknight with very little effort. This is one of those French-inspired dishes that I actually make fairly often. I love the combination of the al dente lentils with the flaky salmon. The flavors from the vegetables and the herbs just brings it all together.
For my take on this French dish, I broil the salmon in the oven, and I simmer dried Lentils du Puy in chicken broth (along with other vegetables and aromatics). The Lentils du Puy have a nice peppery flavor, and they cook down in about a half an hour without the need for any pre-soaking or pre-cooking.
The lentils are a great alternative for rice or potatoes, and as I mentioned earlier, they compliment the salmon so nicely. Add in a side salad, and it's an absolute dinner win! But, enough of my ramblings on the wonders of this dish; here's the recipe.
Ingredients
4 salmon filets
1½ cups dried Lentils du Puy (or French Green Lentils)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cups of chicken stock, plus more as needed
1 tsp salt, plus more to season salmon
½ tsp black pepper, plus more to season salmon
1 tsp Herbes de Provence, plus more to season salmon
2 tbsp tomato paste
Small bunch of thyme sprigs
Olive oil
4 salmon filets
1½ cups dried Lentils du Puy (or French Green Lentils)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cups of chicken stock, plus more as needed
1 tsp salt, plus more to season salmon
½ tsp black pepper, plus more to season salmon
1 tsp Herbes de Provence, plus more to season salmon
2 tbsp tomato paste
Small bunch of thyme sprigs
Olive oil
Dijon Vinaigrette
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper
Set a large pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once warm, add one or two tablespoons of olive oil and swirl them around to coat the pan. Add the onion to the pan, and saute for 3 minutes. Add the celery and carrot, mix the contents of the pan together, and saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and all vegetables have begun to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to one minute, until it is fragrant.
Add in the tomato paste, and stir it onto the vegetables until fully incorporated. Allow to cool for about 2 minutes.
Add the lentils, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence, and 2 cups of chicken broth to the pan. Stir to fully blend the contents of the pan. Add in the thyme sprigs and submerging them into the broth.
Bring the liquid to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low to bring to a simmer. Allow the lentils to simmer for 35-45 minutes, ensuring they remain submerged in the liquid. Cook the lentils until they are al dente, soft enough to bite through but still maintaining a little firmness (but no crunch). If the liquid cooks off a bit too much before the lentils are done, add another ½ cup of the broth and stir it into the lentils.
While the lentils are cooking, prepare the salmon. Brush the filets with olive oil on all sides, and season generously with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Cover a baking sheet with nonstick foil, and spray it with cooking spray. Space the salmon filets on the sheet, and place them in the oven on high broil for 7-10 minutes, until done. Remove the salmon from the oven when they are done.
To make the vinaigrette dressing for the salmon, add the Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, and vinegar to a bowl. Whisk them together to combine them. Slowly whisk the olive oil into the mustard mixture until it is fully incorporated. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper, to taste.
When the lentils are cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and use tongs to remove the thyme sprigs. Discard the thyme sprigs. The broth does not need to fully cook off; it's fine if there is a little bit of it still in the pan.
To serve, place a generous pile of the lentils on a plate and flatten them out into a thin circular layer across the plate. Top the lentils with one of the salmon filets. Spoon some of the vinaigrette over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy!