Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Quick-Braised Salmon with Broccoli


I've had my Le Creuset braiser for almost a year now, yet I've only used it to braise one time. I recently found a great recipe for braised salmon and was completely intrigued (I'd never heard of braising fish!). While most recipes that require braising take several hours, this was a quick-braise. Fish is much more delicate, therefore it doesn't need to soak in the liquid as long as meat does in order to get tender.

Quick-Braised Salmon and Broccoli

(Recipe adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)

Ingredients

2 8-oz. thick-boneless, skinless wild salmon fillets
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper, plus additional to taste
1 T garlic olive oil
1 cup low sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 medium head broccoli, cut into thin spears
Juice 1 lemon, divided
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
2 T finely minced fresh tarragon
2 T finely minced fresh mint leaves
salt, to taste

** The original recipe called for regular olive oil, not garlic olive oil. It also called for 1 medium leek, thinly sliced crosswise, white and pale green parts only, instead of chives. I did not use the leeks because they contain FODMAPs. The chives worked pretty well as a substitute, I think.**

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel and season with pepper. In a large braiser or ovenproof saute pan, heat oil on medium-high. Add salmon and sear for 3 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Transfer salmon to a plate and keep warm.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add 1/4 cup broth to pan. Add chives (or leeks!) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until liquid evaporates and chives (or leeks) soften. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth and broccoli; mix well.

4. Return salmon to center of braiser, nestling between chives (or leeks) and broccoli. Drizzle half of lemon juice over salmon; cover and transfer pan to oven. Cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until salmon and broccoli are tender. Remove from oven and, using slotted spoon, transfer salmon and vegetables to a platter, over with foil to keep warm. Reserve 1/2 cup pan juices.

5. Prepare Lemon-Herb Sauce: in a small bowl, combine yogurt, tarragon, mint, remaining lemon juice, and reserved 1/2 cup pan juices; mix well. Season with salt and additional pepper, to taste.

6. To serve, halve salmon fillets and plate each with Lemon-Herb Sauce and chive-broccoli mixture.

This is what it looked like when I took it out of the oven, after I cut off a piece of the salmon to have a taste :)


This was DELICIOUS! And the sauce tastes really good on other cuts of meat as well.




QUESTION: Have you ever braised fish? Do you like to use mint in your recipes?

12 comments :

  1. Never braised fish but poach salmon all the time. I love mint and use fresh mint constantly in the summer. Healthy dinner.

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  2. I've never tried braising fish either. Your pictures make it look delicious though! And I love that you paired it with broccoli. Broccoli is hands-down one of my favorite fiber-rich veggies. Yum!

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  3. I didn't know that garlic olive oil even existed. I'll have to look for that the next time I'm shopping.

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  4. This sounds so good! I've been seeing recipes lately for steamed salmon...like in a steamer basket I believe. It's been something I've wanted to test out. Another minimal fat way to cook salmon!

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  5. YUM! The dill on salmon...yum! Did Nick try this!??! I still can't believe he doesn't like salmon! I would actually trade salmon for chicken...forever! And I like chicken a lot ;) I hope you're enjoying your time off, Gina!

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  6. *chives

    Haha. I think salmon and auto-pilot to typing "dill". Doh :)

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  7. Not a fan of Salmon. I have tried to prepare it so many ways with the same result, me not eating it. My husband would love it though as he loves anything fish.

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  8. question: why is this amazingly delicious looking

    answer: because it probably is! i love mint but never cook with it! must get on that ASAP!!

    coincidence that deej just brought home salmon the other night? i think not!

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  9. i have never braised fish! this looks great :)
    and honestly, the only time i consume mint is when it is in a Mojito. i should try to incorporate it more often

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  10. I've never braised anything, realky need to try that! thr salmon looks delicious!!!

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  11. I have never braised or used mint! Look at you doing both..show off! :) It looks like an incredibly delicious and highly nutritious meal...Salmon and broccoli is on of my fav combinations. Great post!!!

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  12. I don't think I had heard of braising fish either. Looks good though. I don't use mint ever because I am allergic. I do like mint and chocolate, but it's a recipe for disaster. I sometimes have to move away from people chewing mint gum or drinking mint tea because it makes my eyes burn and lips tingle. It's crazy, and definitely gotten worse over the past few years.

    Thanks for your comment on my post. I agree 1 pound can be a problem (and 30 after 30 years!), but at least 1 pound is a lot more manageable, and hopefully when they decide to do that week or so in the gym post Jan 1, that 1 pound would be easily lost. I'm definitely concerned though with the 10 pounds someone added over the year perhaps and then attributes to 1 month of holiday eating-Do you hear this as much as I do, I'm so bad but I just overhear conversations all the time about this or when I mention I am an RD they will tell me about it, which is fine, but then I never know if they really want my advice or opinion or not. I think in that case there is a distorted perception of the relationship between food and weight gain. Would be nice if more people cared year round to combat that slow weight gain than have a panic during the holidays and think they gained so fast so they can lose it so fast. But you are right, that single pound not lost after the holidays will add up year and year again and be just as much of a problem. I just hate having to listen to people complain and complain all month long but then they don't care or pay attention any other time of the year when it would actually be much more effective to pay attention during those times and prevent any slow weight gain over the year. It's just so frustrating! Oh well, thanks for letting me rant on in your comments. I hope you are enjoying your holiday season so far and getting ready for Christmas. Is this your first Christmas in the new house?

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