We find ourselves at the end of a week of quick, delicious, and simple meal ideas during a season that has us busy in every direction imaginable. This time around, we're firing up the oven and baking a beautiful fillet of salmon with fresh dill and lemon to get a simple, yet elegant dinner on the table in a half an hour or less. What's not to love about that?
If you have to use dried dill, sprinkle it over the lemon slices in the bottom of the pan and add some additional sprinkles over the top of the salmon fillet with the other seasonings before baking it. Do not add additional dried dill to the salmon after baking. If you do not have fresh lemon, hold off on making this dish until you do. I like making this with a pretty dry white wine. Vegetable or chicken broth will work if you do not want to use wine.
I like serving this with a nice risotto or rice pilaf and lightly sautéed green beans or roasted carrots. A side salad would also work. And hey, since you cooked with wine you would drink - you did that, right? - why not pour yourself a chilled glass of it to enjoy with the lovely dinner you just made? Enjoy!
Lemon Dill Baked Salmon
- One (1 ½ pounds) salmon fillet - you can cut them into smaller portions if you prefer
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper - I used seasoned lemon pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into slices
- 4 sprigs of fresh dill, plus more for serving
- ½ cup dry white wine or broth
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set aside a baking dish large enough to fit the salmon flat or, if cut into smaller portions, in one layer.
Lightly oil and season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
Arrange the lemon slices and dill on the bottom of the baking dish, then place the salmon skin-side down on top.
Add the wine or broth to the baking dish; cover with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil.
Bake the salmon until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets. Check the salmon after 10 minutes to see its progress. The best way to prevent overcooking is to check the temperature of the salmon using an instant read thermometer. The thickest part of the salmon should read 125°F.
When cooked to your tastes, remove the salmon from the oven and sprinkle with additional dill - you can spoon the pan juices over the dill and the top of the salmon. Set the baking dish lid askew or remove the foil loosely at the edges, and set aside on the counter for 5 minutes. The salmon will continue to cook during this time. Serve after allowing it to rest.
- Yields: 3-4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes