Stuffed Salmon

Inspired by a recipe idea I saw in the Whole Foods holiday magazine for roasted salmon stuffed with fennel, olives, and oranges. The clever idea was to piece two salmon filets together and bind it with twine it to look like a whole fish. For our twist on it, we made one of our favorite fennel and apple bread stuffing and covered the salmon with lemon slices and dill. The same stuffing could be used for a chicken or turkey as well as the salmon which would be a great way to save time and link the dishes together for a holiday dinner.

To make this dish, select two skin-on salmon fillets  (about a pound and a half each) that are matching in thickness and shape.  You will also need one or two lemons sliced into rounds, one cup of apple cider, and 1/2 cup white wine for the roasting pan. Make stuffing (recipe below). Lay long piece of twine in roasting pan and place one salmon fillet skin down on top of the twine. Mound the stuffing on the fish up to about a half-inch from the edge all around.

Carefully place the remaining piece of salmon on top matching the shape. Press down gently. Wrap the twine around the fish several times knotting at the top as you would tie a roast. Tuck lemon slices and fennel fronds into the twine. (see picture above) . Pour wine and 1 cup of cider into the pan and place in a 375 degree oven.  Cook until internal temperate reaches 165 degrees. Rest at least five minutes, cut and remove twine and slice.

Stuffing
1 large loaf crusty bread sliced and toasted
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 apple (peeled, cored, and sliced)
1/2 cup fennel bulb (thinly sliced, save the fronds for decoration)
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 cups low salt vegetable broth
1 cup apple cider
1/2 tsp paprika
salt
pepper

Heat a medium skillet and melt butter (or olive oil) and saute the onion and fennel and set aside. Crumble the bread into chunks and place in a large bowl. Add the apples, sautéed onions, fennel, broth, and cider. Beat the egg and mix in well. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Sunshine for Supper

Last weekend was the opening day for the winter market at Mahoney’s Garden Center in Winchester.  Our Doves and Figs booth was set between some sweeping potted palms and a large display of citrus trees. I remember vacationing in Florida as a child and driving through orange groves.  The heavenly scent of white blossoms and the cheery round orange fruit.  It was a great day with lots of people tasting and buying jam and local friends stopping in to shop and say hello.  When I got home I could not stop thinking about oranges.  I planned several new citrus jam and marmalade recipes and then I bought a big bag of navel oranges and brought my orange obsession to dinner.

I roasted some carrots, turnips, and beets that I bought at the market.  When the vegetables were tender, I let them cool slightly and then splashed them with a mix of fresh orange juice, a bit of orange zest, some fig jam, white balsamic vinegar, and a dash of black pepper.   

The main course was orange sesame salmon. I dusted the salmon fillets with flour and paprika.  The fish was then seared on both sides in a hot pan lightly coated with olive oil.  I added a blend of orange juice, rice wine, minced garlic, minced ginger, and a drop of sesame oil to the pan.  As the salmon cooked the sauce reduced and thickened almost to a glaze.  Just before serving, I sprinkled the fish with toasted white and black sesame seeds. 

I served the sesame salmon and the roasted root vegetables with a simple green salad, and jasmine rice into which I mixed caramelized onions. It was a sunny supper for a winter night.