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Christmas Baked Salmon

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Christmas Baked Salmon

Nagi
Baked with a Honey Garlic Butter Glaze in foil, slathered with a Creamy Dill Sauce. Topped with a Holiday “Tapenade” of dried cranberries, almonds and parsley. Finished with pomegranate for a shower of festive color and a generous dousing of fresh lemon juice.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ kilograms Salmon Side skin on, bones removed, Note 1
  • 2 ¾ teaspoons Salt cooking/kosher, Note 2
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 150 grams Butter unsalted
  • ½ cup Honey
  • 3 Garlic Cloves finely minced, garlic press or knife
  • 1 ½ cups Sour Cream full fat, low fat is too watery
  • ½ cup Fresh Dill finely chopped, lightly packed cup
  • ½ Eschallot French onion, finely grated
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Lemon Zest
  • 1 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1 cup Almonds slivered, toasted, Note 3
  • 0.58 cup Parsley roughly chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon each Salt And Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Pomegranate only the seeds
  • 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 2 Lemons extra, cut in 6 pieces each, for serving, do n't skip this

Instructions
 

The side of a whole salmon. It should not be flavored or pre-marinated in any way. If frozen, thaw thoroughly overnight in the fridge covered, and then pat dry very well (frozen fish gets watery);

    Skin on – for easier handling. Once cooked, the skin will hold the salmon together. Without it, there’s a higher change the flesh flakes open when transferring to the tray. Interestingly, I have never seen a side of salmon sold without skin – this may well be the reason.

      Bones removed – Your fishmonger should have already done this, but just double check. Run your fingers across the surface, especially along the mid-line (where the spine was) where pin bone culprits sometimes hide. Check the belly section carefully too. If there are bones, use fish boning tweezers or just personal grooming tweezers to pull them out (pinch and yank with conviction!). Clean small pliers also work.

        To make the Honey Glaze, all you do is plonk everything in a saucepan and simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken slightly and bring all the flavors together.

          The salmon is baked in foil, which is handy for minimal clean up, but actually the main reason is because it holds the glaze around the salmon better while it bakes.

            Line a tray with foil. (Recommended: A double layer of foil for leakage protection.) Then baking/parchment paper. Place the salmon on top.

              Hold the foil sides up a bit to cup them a little so the glaze won’t spill onto the tray. Pour the glaze over (it’s fine that the glaze is still hot);

                Top with another sheet of paper and then foil. Seal edges to form a parcel. No need to make it tightly sealed, just mostly sealed is fine;

                  Bake for 15 minutes covered;

                    Uncover, then switch oven to broiler/grill. Grill for 10 minutes to get some tasty caramelization on the edges and a bit on the surface. IMPORTANT: Keep salmon on the middle shelf in the oven when broiling/grilling, don’t move it closer to the heat source – risk of paper burning!

                      Once cooked immediately transfer to serving platter using the paper overhang (otherwise the salmon will keep cooking on the tray), either lifting or sliding it off. And here’s how to remove the foil and paper from under the salmon – just tear and slide!

                        At this stage, the salmon needs to be left to cool for at least 10 minutes otherwise the Lemon Dill Sauce literally melts straight off. Also, this salmon dish is intended to be eaten warm rather than hot, or even at room temperature. This is extra-handy because there’s no need to stress over exact cook times in order to serve it piping hot!

                          This sour cream-based sauce provides an element of creamy richness to the baked salmon as well as acting as the “glue” for the Holiday “Tapenade” we pile over the top. Not including dill was never an option – it is, after all, best friends with salmon!

                            Just mix the sour cream, Lermon, French onion and dill in a bowl together to make the sauce

                              Note: we only use the zest in the sour cream sauce because we deliberately want to keep it very thick and “paste-like” so we can slather it on thickly. The rest is used to liberally douse the finished dish for some welcome tang. It’s an essential step!

                                This jumble of goodies (which I call a “Holiday Tapenade”) is a terrific combination for both flavors and textures with the Honey Glazed salmon and Creamy Dill Sauce. The sweet, slightly tart cranberries and the nutty almonds contrast beautifully with the cooling Creamy Dill Sauce and the rich, Honey Glazed flesh of the salmon.

                                  Pomegranate – This is what we use to sprinkle across the finished dish for their jewel-like festive colour, and of course for great pops of tart juiciness!

                                    Dried cranberries – In the spirit of holidays and also for the tart/sweet profile rather than just plain sweetness that other dried fruits have. Alternatives (in order of suggestion): Dried sour cherries, golden raisins, normal raisins or sultanas;

                                      Orange juice – This is used to soak the cranberries in order to reconstitute them and plump them up. Otherwise, they’re rather shrivelled and chewy. Because this is, after all, for a special occasion why not one more step to make the cranberries extra special! As mentioned, it’s mainly for the cranberries, but the orange juice also adds a touch of extra sweetness and citrusy flavour – very on-theme for holidays! Substitute with any fruit juice you wish. Apple would especially be great – otherwise just use water with a dollop of honey or maple syrup;

                                        Slivered almonds – Purchased already cut into slivers (else sliver blanched almonds yourself), this is a lovely shape that you can use as-is. We also give them a quick toasting to boost the nuttiness and bronze them. Alternatives: Almonds (preferably blanched), pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamias, walnuts;

                                          Parsley for freshness and the green colour for Christmas!

                                            Olive oil to add just a bit of richness and bring it all together.

                                              Make ahead option: Make the Tapenade up to 2 days ahead but leave the almonds out until just before serving. Almonds can be toasted ahead, just store them in the pantry until required.

                                                Smother the salmon generously with the Creamy Dill Sauce. Generous is the operative word here! It’s the main sauce for this dish, and it’s also the “glue” for the Tapenade;

                                                  Sprinkle the Tapenade across the surface. Really pile it on, use it all!;

                                                    Then sprinkle over the pomegranate next, and finally the lemon juice (the Tapenade will catch it); and

                                                      Voila! Presentation! Applause! Compliments! Bows!


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