SALMON w/ LEMON CAPER SAUCE

This is my copycat version of a salmon entree I had at a local Italian restaurant named Capers & Lemons. The dish includes a fillet of salmon, grilled and served over a bed of spinach sauteed in garlic olive oil, and a side of orzo. I think the beauty of this dish really lies in how it introduces all five tastes into every bite -- sweetness from the orzo and salmon, bitterness from the spinach, acidity from the lemon and white wine base, and lastly the salty umami flavor from the capers and garlic. This recipe is, of course, my take on that Capers & Lemons salmon dish, however, I really tried to stay true-to-form here, not deviating too far from the flavors I remember.

The following recipe is actually just for the salmon and lemon caper sauce. The spinach recipe is exactly the same as the one I posted for the kale. The orzo recipe, will follow in due course. A few comments about this recipe. I baked the fish instead of grilling it. I thought it would give me a better handle on the slow-cook needed to prevent the albumin from surfacing. Unfortunately, there was a little albumin present (which didn't hurt the dish at all, but reminds me of the reason one of the chefs got sent home in an old episode of Top Chef). Next time I may actually go with a lower temperature setting on the oven and cook the salmon a little longer.

Ingredients

1 fillet 1  1 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1/4 cup 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 tsp

Salmon, patted dry Shallot, finely diced Scallion, cut into strips Champagne vinegar Savignon blanc Butter Extra virgin olive oil Lemon zest Capers Parsley, chopped

Directions

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Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Combine shallot, vinegar and wine in a sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the butter and olive oil and stir to incorporate. Add in the lemon zest, followed by the capers. Fold-in fresh parsley, remove from heat, and spoon over fish. Top with scallions and serve.