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
4-6 salmon filets
1½ cups dried Lentils du Puy
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 carrots, diced
2-3 celery stalks, diced
1½ cups of kale leaves, chopped, stems removed
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
4-6 salmon filets
1½ cups dried Lentils du Puy
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 carrots, diced
2-3 celery stalks, diced
1½ cups of kale leaves, chopped, stems removed
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
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 the lentils, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of 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 tomato paste and stir it into the broth and vegetables, completely. Lastly, add in the thyme sprigs, submerging them into the broth.
Bring the liquid to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low to bring to a simmer. Place a lid on the pan and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and add the kale into the pan. Stir the kale into the lentils until it is well mixed throughout. Return the lid and allow the lentils to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the lentils have softened. 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 1/2 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 Herbs 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 8-10 minutes, until done. Remove the salmon from the oven when they are done.
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 top them with one of the salmon filets. I recommend serving some dressed salad greens on the side. Enjoy!