I picked this recipe for roasted salmon with lentils because it looked healthy, and we had a giant family pack of salmon fillets in the freezer.  Both excellent reasons to pick a recipe, in my opinion.

But why will I make this recipe again?  Because it tastes delicious.  Yum!  Oh, and it’s healthy.  That’s the right way to eat a healthy recipe, in my opinion–tasty first, healthy second.

This gem is from Dinner: The Playbook, which I very much don’t want to give back to the library.  But as a librarian, I have to set a good example of not stealing books.  Sigh.

Roasted Salmon with Lentils

Takes about 30 minutes, makes about 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups of any combination of chicken broth and water, or enough to cover lentils by about 1 inch in the pot
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (more if you’re making extra dressing)
• 1/4 cup vinegar (white or balsamic, tarragon, or red wine, we used red wine vinegar, more if you’re making extra dressing)
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil (same… more if you’re making extra dressing)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch of scallions (white and light green parts), chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped bell pepper
• leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs (or a generous pinch of dried rosemary or thyme, or even 2 tablespoon of finely shopped fresh parsley)
• 1 1/4 lb. salmon fillet(s)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium pot, boil the lentils in the broth-water combo, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes (15 if you’re using beluga lentils).  While the lentils are cooking, in a medium bowl make a vinaigrette by whisking together the mustard, vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, and salt and pepper.  (I made extra here–roughly doubling the recipe, and we used the extra dressing on top of some halved cherry tomatoes and cut avocado to create an easy, healthy salad on the side… delcious.)
• While the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, drain them in a fine strainer.  Toss the lentils in the bowl with the vinaigrette (making sure you’ve already used any extra that you made), adding the scallions, bell pepper, and thyme or other herbs.
• Meanwhile, brush the salmon fillet(s) with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until flaky.  Break the salmon into bite-size pieces and toss with the lentils.

You can even make everything ahead of time except for the roasted salmon, if you want.  That would make this a really exceptionally easy dinner.  It’s already pretty darn easy.

The vinaigrette on top of the mixture just makes this meal.  A little bit of vinegar and oil and mustard, and the lentils are transformed.

Why did I forget to take a picture of our salmon with lentils?  Well, I’ve been getting more early Christmas presents, and I was busy taking pictures of my awesome cowboy boot slippers and new kitchen rug instead.  That’s a totally legitimate excuse, if you ask me.