Baked Salmon With Tarragon And Fennel Seed Butter Food

SALMON WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Have the fishmonger cut the head and tail off the salmon and butterfly it, removing all the bones. You should have about 7 pounds of salmon.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Saute the onions and fennel in the olive oil for 10 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme leaves, fennel fronds, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and pepper and saute for 5 more minutes, until the onions and fennel are tender. Taste for salt and pepper.
• Lay the salmon, skin side down, on a cutting board and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Spread the fennel filling over half of the salmon. Pull the other half up and over the filling, enclosing it. Tie the salmon every 2 inches with kitchen string to secure the stuffing.
• Place a sheet pan lined with parchment paper in the oven for 5 minutes to heat it. Carefully transfer the salmon to the hot sheet pan and bake it for exactly 30 minutes (10 minutes for each 1-inch of thickness). Do not overbake!
• Allow to cool slightly, then remove the strings. To serve, cut into thick slices with a very sharp knife. This salmon is delicious hot or at room temperature.
• Note: If you're making this in advance, be sure to cool the filling before stuffing the salmon. Refrigerate until ready to roast.

MUSTARD SALMON WITH SPRING VEGETABLE STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle salmon lightly on both sides with kosher salt. Place skin-side down in a low baking dish. Sprinkle top of fish with fennel and black pepper. Smear mustard evenly over the surface. Leave for at least 10 minutes to absorb seasoning and come to room temperature.
• Bake salmon, uncovered, just until white juices begin to surface at sides and top, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove and let rest 5 minutes. (Salmon should be perfectly cooked, still moist at center.)
• As salmon cooks, make the vegetable stew: Set a Dutch oven or wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter, then add the fennel. Season lightly with salt. Let fennel cook without browning, stirring frequently until just done, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, shucked peas, cauliflower, scallions and a small pinch of salt. Stir to combine and add ¼ cup water. Raise heat to high and cover pot. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp and just done (residual heat will cook them further). Turn off heat and transfer vegetables to a serving dish.
• In a tiny skillet, heat oil over medium-high. When oil is wavy, add mustard seeds and serrano chile, and stir together. When mustard seeds begin to sputter and pop, pour contents of skillet over the vegetable stew. Top with tarragon and parsley.
• For each serving, place a piece of salmon on a warmed plate. Spoon some vegetables over and around salmon. Pass remaining vegetables at the table.

ROASTED SALMON WITH FENNEL AND LIME

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Finely grate the zest from 1 lime into a small bowl, and set aside the zested lime. Add fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle mixture all over salmon.
• Meanwhile, remove the fennel fronds from the bulb and chop up enough to make 1/4 cup. Trim fennel bulb, discarding stalks, and slice bulb thinly using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Spread half the fennel slices in a baking dish in an even layer and drizzle with oil. Arrange salmon on top.
• Slice the whole, unzested lime into thin rounds and lay the slices on top of the salmon. Tuck marjoram around the salmon and drizzle salmon generously with more olive oil.
• Roast until salmon is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. (Thinner fillets may take less time, so start checking for doneness at 10 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, toss chopped fennel fronds and remaining fennel slices with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Juice the zested lime and add some of the juice to the fennel, to taste. Drizzle the sliced fennel with olive oil and set aside to serve with the salmon.
• When the salmon is done, drizzle it with more lime juice and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve with the fennel salad on top, and the roast fennel on the side, if you like.