Lentils and Salmon + My Book!
Lentils and Salmon - butter roasted salmon served on top of lentils simmered with flavorful veggies. A perfect meal that's totally doable on a week day.
Lentils and Salmon + My Book!
Jump to RecipeWelcome to Cookbook Week on Macheesmo! I’ll be posting recipes from five cookbooks this week and giving away copies! All winners will be announced next Friday (11/14).
I just couldn’t let cookbook week go by without posting one of my favorite recipes from Love Your Leftovers! The problem is that because the way the book is structured, it can be a bit hard to pull out a single recipe to feature. After all, the whole point is to cook in large batches and use the book to make a bunch of different meals!
But, there are plenty of recipes in the book that are stand alone and great for fast, delicious meals. One of my favorites is this recipe for lentils and salmon. While I wrote the recipe to be in the lentils chapter, it’s a perfect cross-over with the salmon chapter also.
Because both of those things cook fairly quickly, it’s not a big deal to just make this guy from scratch any day of the week. It’s a warming meal, but at the same time pretty light and healthy. Even though I tested the crap out of these recipes while writing the book, this is one of them that I still look forward to making and eating.
Lentils and Salmon
- Serves:
- Serves 4
- Prep Time:
- Total Time:
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Butter roasted salmon served on top of lentils simmered with flavorful veggies. A perfect meal that’s totally doable on a week day.
Ingredients
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook lentils according to package by simmering in boiling water. Be careful not to over-cook the lentils as they will just turn to mush.
2) Drizzle salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add salmon fillet, skin-side up, to a hot, oven-safe skillet over high heat. Sear salmon for 3 minutes and flip.
3) After searing the fillets, turn them skin side down and add a small knob of butter to each fillet. Stick pan in the oven and finish cooking for 5-7 minutes. The total time will depend on thickness of the salmon.
4) For lentils add olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.
5) Stir in cooked and drained lentils, capers, and fresh thyme. Stir to combine flavors.
6) Add butter and lemon juice to finish the lentils and season with salt and pepper.
7) Serve the seared salmon on a bed of lentils garnished with fresh lemon.
Lentils and Salmon
The Salmon
Salmon can be expensive, especially if you are buying the good, wild caught stuff (which I recommend). Luckily, you don’t need a lot of it to make a great meal. Even for a dude like me, four ounces of it is plenty to fill me up. Six if I’m super-hungry.
I always recommend cooking the salmon with the skin on to keep it from over-cooking. First rule of salmon: Do no harm. Just salt and pepper.
I sear the salmon in an oven-safe skillet for about 2-3 minutes in a little olive oil over high heat. Once it’s seared, I flip it so the skin is down and top it with a little butter.
Then stick the skillet in a 350 degree F. oven for 5-7 minutes until it’s just cooked through. You can obviously cook multiple fillets at once or cook them as a big piece and then cut them into portions after cooking.
The finished salmon is beautifully roasted with crispy skin. It should just flake apart.
Lentil Time!
I originally wrote this recipe to use leftover lentils, but lentils take all of 10 minutes to cook so it isn’t a bit deal to cook a batch and then use them to finish off this delicious mix.
Other important stuff: onion, celery, carrots. I had some fancy organic carrots in my fridge that I used for this version,but obviously you can use the plain old orange guys.
Cook the lentils according to the package. I like to just simmer mine in water with no seasoning (we’ll season them later). The key is to not overcook them which can easily happen. If you overcook them, they will just turn to mush.
Add a good drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet and cook the veggies over medium heat. Once the onions, celery, and carrots have softened, add the garlic and lentils and cook.
If you’re using capers (highly recommended) add those in also with some lemon juice and fresh thyme.
Finish off this mix with some butter in the pan and season it well with salt and pepper.
I think this recipe for lentils and salmon turns out to be a pretty elegant looking plate of food given that it’s really basic ingredients and takes well under an hour from start to finish.
Yummy meal, but let’s talk cookbook!
The Giveaway!
In case you’ve missed any of the previous giveaways this week, here’s a re-cap!
Monday: The Cook’s Illustrated Meat Book
Tuesday: The Kitchn Cookbook
Wednesday: Easy Gourmet
Thursday: Homemade Decadence
All of those giveaways are still open to enter!
And good news, because today I’m giving away my own damn book, I can give away more of them and also sign them!
Good luck everyone and I hope you all liked cookbook week! I might do it again in the spring!
51 Responses to “Lentils and Salmon + My Book!” Leave a comment
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Hello! My name is Nick Evans and I write and manage Macheesmo. I started Macheesmo 11 years ago when I was just learning my way around the kitchen. I love to cook and love everything food-related, but I have no formal training. These days I focus on fast, accessible recipes with the occasional “reach” recipe!
I’ve posted almost 2,000 recipes on Macheesmo. For each one, I do my best to give full explanations of what I did and tips on what I’d do differently next time. I’ll bring up the tricky parts and the easy parts.
I hope you can find something and cook something!
This looks fantastic! Would love a copy of your book – brilliant for meal planning. :)
I would love your cookbook!!
I am making that salmon for sure thanks Nick!
Need to try this! Thanks for the giveaways.
I’m salivating!! I’m so gonna try this dish! Leeeeeentilsssss yeahhh!
This is so going to happen this week as we are renovating our home and need quick easy put together meals. This will fit the bill, many thanks !
Very exciting! Glad to see your book in the week!
I LOVE leftovers! And would love your book :)
This salmon looks delicious. Just the way I like it…simple, with nice crispy skin.
The salmon looks beautiful!! Nice recipe.
You had me at “salmon”…..
Just discovered your blog and I’m so glad I did–I can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
I already have the e-book and love it BUT I want a signed version!
I love lentils but i have never tried it with salomon. Since i live in Norway and my father is retired and loves to fish, i might get a real fresh piece of salomon to try out the recipe. Would love a copy of your book (if you send out of U.S..) Have a good weekend:)
We eat a lot of lentils, they are a protein powerhouse and paired with salmon a very satisfying meal. Thanx for the recipe, Nick.
I love how quick and healthy this meal is! Def making this one soon!
Only one thing wrong…Capers are not optional!
I love your “Do no harm” to salmon.
Will have to order you cookbook if I don’t win one.
Your cookbook was already on my Christmas wish list, so if I can get it sooner than that, even better! Loving these giveaways – even if I don’t win, there have been a lot of good recipes and ideas shared this week and it’s nice to have another person’s recommendation on what cookbooks are worth it. Thanks so much!
Fantastic recipe. Healthy, quick and delicious. A weeknight win.
Yumm says it all.
I heart eating lentils! This looks like a great meal!
That looks absolutely delicious!
your site has become a top 5 fav of mine. Lentils are not something I’m big on but I’m open to new ideas!
Awesome! Thanks for reading Judy! :)
great idea for a cookbook
Sounds so good!
lentils and salmon…two of my favorite foods!
I have never really made lentils – but I know they’re really healthy, and I love salmon! This looks like a good, healthy winter meal!
This looks really great. I love salmon but always worry about over cooking it. Thanks for the tip!
looks tasty!
The cookbook looks awesome…congratulations!!
It would be great to learn how to create another meal using leftovers.
Looks good!
I love it when you cook from books – it helps me buy/cook smart. This recipe will impress hubby, because he loves salmon and he loves lentils. I’m not crazy about either, but I’m going to try it because I trust you.
This is a great recipe and so good for you! Way to go… healthy and delicious.
Lentils and salmon. Love both. I bought a mixed bag of red, Brown and green on my last Costco run. So glad you posted this. I collect cookbooks and yours would go very nicely in that wall length collection in my dining room.
Tried this.., healthy, easy and yes…YUM!
I really need to make lentils more often. Going to need to make yours this weekend.
This is my kind of meal! If the recipes in your cookbook are anything like this I have to have it! Winning it would be an absolute bonus!
I love anything with salmon!!!
Looks delicious!
Love working with lentils, but am new to preparing fish. This sounds delicious and easy. Thank you!
I am wondering how the recipe would be minus the salmon. I don’t do fish or really even much meat but could use a new lentil soup recipe.
I’m intrigued by this way of cooking. Love your recipes!
Salmon is a quick and easy staple in our house.
All three people in my family would love this dish and I would love the cookbook!
Not a big fan of salmon, but I’m sure any fish will work with this dish. Great way to get into lentils for the upcoming winter.
I never thought to combine salmon and lentils, but salmon always needs something to go with it or it’s not filling enough, this is a great idea.
Great food brings family together during meal times. Tried this last night. First time I have ever cooked fish. It was wonderful. Thanks so much.
Awesome Charisse! SO glad you tried it and it worked out. :) Cheers!