Monday, April 11, 2011

Lemon-Dill Baked Salmon

Mark competed in the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race this past week and did an awesome job. He beat his time from last year which makes sense because he's been training lots. I wanted to do my part to help him train, but I certainly wasn't about to go running with him so I stuck to what I know best. Food. I tried to cook Mark dinners that were filling and healthy so that he could optimize his training schedule. Salmon is incredibly healthy and great for people who are training for a race. Full of good protein and the proper fats, salmon also keeps your hair, skin, and nails shiny and beautiful. Obviously the later is also very important to Mark. His hair, skin, and nails mean everything to him. The other nice thing about this meal is that it bakes in the oven and doesn't require any real fiddling or attention. You can start a load of wash, slip into your PJs, and pour yourself a glass of wine while this is cooking and then...dinner is ready. Also, Mark is not generally a seafood lover, but he really liked this dish. If you have a seafood averse person in your house, try serving this to them and see if they change their mind.Lemon-Dill Baked Salmon (serves 2)
Ingredients:
.7 lbs. Salmon fillet
1 lemon
1/4 oz fresh dill (they sell tiny packages of fresh herbs at Safeway for $1 now and it is changing my life. I can swing for $1 to make my meal better, but $4 for a big big bunch that I'll never use up seemed unreasonable to me)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil

I also made this meal in jumbo size for my sister's engagement party and it flew out of the dish an onto people's plates. Not one bite left at the end. So this dish is great for a crowd. Buy a big piece of salmon and adjust the cooking time up to accommodate the larger portion. 1. Slice the lemon into this slices and arrange them in a baking dish that is large enough to fit your piece of salmon. 2. Rinse the salmon in cold water and pat very dry with a paper towel. Lay some sprigs of dill down on the lemons and then place your salmon filet on top. 3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, some chopped dill, and olive oil. Look at how beautiful it is... 4. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. You want to fish to be cooked through in the thickest part. Admire your handiwork and serve it up for dinner. I served simple boiled potatoes and asparagus with this meal and it was a big hit.

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