Passion Project: Roasted Salmon with Caramelized Golden Beets

We’re officially off to the last stretch of my project: fish! I decided to start off with my favorite kind, which is salmon. If salmon is offered on a restaurant menu, you can be sure that it’s what I will order. I don’t know what it is about it but I find salmon to be one of the most delicious things that can be eaten. I’d pick a grilled salmon filet over a piece of steak almost any day. Seriously.

It’s just so flaky and deliciously tender! I can’t resist! I also really like the way it caramelizes on the thinner ends. These are always the best parts in my opinion. Another reason why most people like salmon is that it has quite a high fat content. That’s why it’s so moist and rich. It can be a very decadent dish in the best way possible! On that note, the good thing is that it is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for our metabolism’s functions. The former are known for their health benefits, and are a necessary part of our diets since our bodies don’t synthesize them alone. Oh, and salmon is just pretty! I mean, just look at this. It stands as a serious competitor to a marbled ribeye, doesn’t it?

I served this gorgeous filet with golden beets. Part of the reason was that I could roast them both in the oven at the same time, which was efficient. I had a limited lunch break, so there was only so much I could prepare in that time frame. These beets also only require minimum prep work so they were a great option! Funny sidenote about beets: I used to hate them! Like, with a burning passion. To this day, I still can’t eat purple ones. I blame my middle school cafeteria days for that one… Seriously, I still have nightmares about the creepy purple-ish cubes soaked in beet juice. Nothing like the following golden nuggets though!

Like all things I don’t like, I always try them once a year to make sure that my taste hasn’t changed. This year, I was really tempted by all of the beautiful golden beets sitting on tables at the farmer’s market. Since I hadn’t yet made my yearly attempt at liking beets, I decided to give them a shot and roast them in a simple, fail-proof way. Can anything taste bad when it’s drizzled with olive oil and aromatics, sprinkled with salt, and caramelized. I’m starting to think that this is the way parents should make their kids eat vegetables. Who can say no to that?! Sure enough, these actually turned out to be delicious! To my surprise, I actually really loved the caramelized taste of these beets! Nothing like what I had had before, and nothing like the object of my nightmares…

Finally, I spiced it all up with homemade chimichurri sauce. This parsley/cilantro/shallot/vinegar sauce is traditionally served alongside steak in Argentina. Unconventional choice, I agree, but a really great one as it turned out! This gave the whole dish a slight kick that contrasted nicely with the beets’ natural sweetness and the richness of the fish. Overall, it really brought another interesting layer to the dish. Make sure to give this recipe a try if you’re looking for a way to shake up your traditional roasted salmon. Bon appétit!

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Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 Atlantic salmon filet, wild caught
• 2 golden beets
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper
• fresh parsley
• chimichurri sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the golden beets in quarters, and toss them with a good drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
   Make sure they don’t touch each other to ensure even browning. Place in the oven for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, season the salmon filet with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Place it in a baking dish.
5. 15 minutes before the beets are done, put the salmon in the oven too. Both will be ready simultaneously.
6. Serve the roasted salmon over the caramelized beets. Garnish with fresh chimichurri sauce, and parsley. Enjoy!

Temps Total: 30 minutes

Ingrédients: 

• 1 filet de saumon atlantique
• 2 betteraves jaunes
• 1/4 citron pressé
• huile d’olive
• sel de mer et poivre noir
• persil frais
• sauce chimichurri fraiche (optionnel)

Étapes:

1. Préchauffez votre four à 200°C.
2. Lavez les betteraves, et coupez les en quartiers. Mélangez les avec de l’huile d’olive et le jus de citron. Assaisonnez de sel et de poivre.
3. Répartissez les quartiers bien espacés sur une plaque de cuisson recouverte de papier sulfurisé. Laissez les cuire pendant 25 minutes.
4. Pendant ce temps, assaisonnez le pavé de saumon avec du sel, du poivre, et un filet d’huile d’olive. Mettez le dans un plat allant au four.
5. 15 minutes avant la fin de la cuisson des betteraves, mettez le saumon dans le four. Les deux seront prêts en même temps.
6. Servez le saumon avec les betteraves caramélisées. Garnissez avec de la sauce chimichurri et du persil ciselé. Bon appétit!