Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 1 cup French green lentils
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for rubbing salmon
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 8 oz. salmon fillets

Instruction

  • In a medium heat proof bowl, add the lentils and cover with boiling water. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until onions start to soften.
  • Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute or two. Add celery, carrots, chicken stock, lentils, and tomato paste. Stir until tomato paste is well incorporated and cover. Stirring occasionally, simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Slowly stir in the vinegar until you reach the desired taste. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 450 F.
  • Heat a large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Rub both sides of salmon fillet with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If you want a crispier skin of the salmon, make about 2-3 diagonal scores on the skin before you add it to skillet. This will create less surface area to heat and allow for the skin to crisp up faster.
  • Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in the skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until skin is browned. Carefully flip each fillet over and transfer skillet to oven for about 5 minutes, or until pink throughout. (I'd never cooked salmon this way either, I usually just use that method for steaks, but was pleasantly surprised that the salmon came out PERFECT doing this)
  • Serve the salmon over a mound of the lentil mixture and dig in!