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Caraway & Thyme Salmon
a simple recipe for a weeknight dinner
Spring is in full swing and if you’ve visited a farmer’s market or stop by your local grocery store recently, you’ll be sure to see an abundance of vegetables. The winter root vegetable season is over (squashed out, anyone?) and we’ve started to enjoy spring’s harvest of strawberries, peas, sprouts, asparagus, artichokes and more. Spring meals are quintessentially lighter and fresher.
This recipe is a quick and simple one - Baked salmon with english peas sautéed in ghee and shallots. Takes less 30 minutes, so no excuses there! And, it saves well for lunch the next day. There’s definitely endless ways to jazz it up; add mint, carrots, asparagus, or any other favorite vegetable or herb. It pairs nicely with a light soup or a whole grain salad.
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It is well known that salmon is filled with powerful nutrients that help keep us healthy. It’s high in omega 3 fatty acids which is a potent antioxidant, is highly anti-inflammatory, helps to protect and optimize cell function, supports a healthy cardiovascular system, makes up about 20% of our brain fat (which is 60% fat as a whole), is anti-cancerous… and the list goes on. Salmon is also a great source of B12, vitamin D, selenium, vitamin B3, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and iodine. All these nutrients play a vital role in our over health, mood, and cognition.
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Ingredients
Two 4 oz salmon fillet (sustainably raised)
1 tbsp each of thyme, caraway seeds, and oregano
1 tsp paprika and cayenne
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
A generous pinch of sea salt
2 garlic cloves
High quality olive oil
1 lb english peas in their pods, or about 1 cup of english peas shelled
1 large shallot
1 tbs ghee or olive oil
1 tbsp or so of fresh dill
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Preparation
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes | Cook Time: 15-20 minutes | Serves: 21. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Prep vegetables: Shell english peas, thinly slice the shallot, and mince the garlic and set to the side in separate bowls.
3. Using a mortar pestle crush/blend together the caraway seeds and thyme. I like to use a Japanese style mortar pestle that has grooves on the interior which makes grinding together herbs/spices a little easier. You want the herbs to be blended thoroughly, but by no means do you have to grind until it’s entirely powder. What is of particular interest is to break up the caraway seeds. This step takes about 3-5 minutes.
4. Place the herb mixture along with the other spices into a glass pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on top.
5. Rinse the salmon and pat dry then lay the fish skin down in the glass pan. Proceed to rub the salmon in the herbs by rotating it, getting all sides of the fillet well seasoned. Add the minced garlic on top. With your fingers, massage the garlic and any herbs left on the bottom of the pan into the salmon.
6. Bake for 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet. Cooking for 10 minutes for every 1 inch.
7. While the salmon is in the oven, place ghee or olive oil in a pan and bring to a medium heat. Add the shallots, stirring until translucent (about 4 minutes). Add a pinch of salt, continue to sauté. Toss in the english peas. Cover and let simmer until the peas are tender and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). If the peas are sticking, add a tad more oil or a splash of water. Adjust seasoning to taste preference.
8. Roughy chop some dill and toss into the peas.
9. Plate the salmon and peas. If desired, add a squeeze of lemon over the dish. And, enjoy!
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