May is one of my favorite months of the year. We have decidedly warmer weather than we did last month and at least some of those rainy days have given way to sunshine and gentle breezes. It also marks the beginning of my CSA season. This time of the year, my family gets to enjoy delightfully crisp overwintered spinach. We have it in salads, frittatas, and just about anywhere you can work it into a meal. But I really adore pairing it with seasoned lentils and tender salmon:
This amazing dish comes together in just 20 minutes and is very healthy and flavorful. It's nice enough for company, but quick enough to work into a busy evening, which is great news since these are also gardening days. What's more, it's a great one-dish meal that leaves you feeling satisfied. I simply pour myself a glass of chilled white wine and spoon this mixture into bowls and call it a day. It even means cleanup is quick!
If you wanted to add anything to this meal, a bit of your favorite bread would be lovely to sop up any juices from the lentils that might linger in the bottom of your bowl. Then again, you can also save a bit of the salmon and swab the bottom of the bowl with that too! Spring is here and casual cuisine is where it's at!
Salmon & Lentils
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 skin-on salmon fillets
- 2 tsp. seasoned salt — I used a blend heavy with smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 c. red lentils
- 1 c. broth - choose chicken, vegetable, or seafood
- 1/2 c. dry white wine
- 1 c. finely chopped fresh spinach
- 1/4 c. fried shallots, for garnish
Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet. Place the salmon fillets — skin side down — in the skillet and allow them to cook without movement for 4 minutes. Then carefully, using a spatula, flip the fish over and cook an additional 2-4 minutes to achieve mostly-cooked fish. Remove the salmon to a plate and keep warm.
Add the lentils and water to the skillet and place over medium heat. Stir slowly to incorporate any pan drippings into the mixture. Simmer for about 7-8 minutes before adding the wine to the mixture and stirring again to incorporate that as well. After simmering an additional 4-6 minutes (the lentils should be tender, but still maintain their shape), add the spinach and stir to incorporate into the lentil mixture. Then return the salmon to the skillet on top of the lentils and sprinkle the entire skillet with the fried shallots. Serve immediately.
- Yields: 2 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes