One of my favorite fishes to eat is salmon. It tastes so good and is so easy to cook, even when you’re in a hurry. Salmon also has the healthy Omega-3 oils which makes it one of the most nutrient rich foods around. I’ve shared several salmon dishes and the one we are about to discuss with you today is quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes as, in my opinion, nothing goes better together than lemon and fish. In this dish, I use Sylva’ Kitchen Lemon Pepper Perfection seasoning. I like to buy the frozen Atlantic Salmon Filets from Costco because they are portioned out and thaw fairly quickly for a speedy meal.
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Take the thawed salmon filets and brush both sides with a little olive oil. Next, season both sides with the lemon pepper seasoning and bake for 18-20 minutes until flaky. While the salmon is baking, make the lemon vinaigrette, pesto butter, and balsamic reduction. For the lemon vinaigrette, combine lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Lemon Pepper Perfection seasoning, and honey and whisk it together. Then, while whisking vigorously, add olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture is emulsified.
Now, we move onto the pesto butter. To get the butter ready, let three cubes sit out on the counter to come up to room temperature (or you can microwave for 30 seconds to soften). Next, it’s time to collect your fresh herbs. You’ll need a handful of fresh basil (about 3/4 cup or so) and about 6 sprigs of fresh dill. Place the butter, fresh herbs, and the appropriate amount of white pepper, garlic powder, and some white wine for the batch size in a container and blend until mixed thoroughly. I prefer to use an immersion blender for the mixing and then store the mixed butter in that same container in the fridge.
For the balsamic reduction I simply add the desired amount of Balsamic vinegar to a saucepan and simmer over low to medium heat until reduced by half. Once the salmon is done I place whatever sides I’m planning on serving it with on the plate (I prefer to serve this with a rice/quinoa mix and blanched asparagus). Place the salmon filet on top of the rice, then drizzle each of the three sauces over it and enjoy!
