Roasted Salmon with Fennel and Orange Zest

 
Fennel.  I have always wanted to cook with it as I've read so many recipes that use this interesting and foreign-to-me vegetable.  I do know fennel has been classically paired with salmon forever so I was excited to give this complementary flavor combination a try.  Chris and I tend to eat simple and healthy meals, so this was in-line with a usual weeknight dinner.  Also I've observed that fennel is frequently paired with oranges in a salad, so I decided to pair them together with salmon.  All together it turned out delicious!  An orange is zested, juiced and then whisked together with salt, pepper and olive oil.  Half of this zested orange juice is poured over a fennel and sweet onion mixture.  The other half is used to flavor wild salmon as it roasts in the oven.  Serve this with brown rice and a light spinach salad for a healthy, satisfying meal.

Excuse the poor pics this post, taken too late at night :)

Ingredients
serves 2

2 6 ounce pieces of salmon
2 bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 orange, zested and juiced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tbsp of freshly chopped thyme
1 tbsp fennel leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

salmon before it goes in the oven

Method  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  While oven is preheating, thinly slice fennel and the onion.  Zest orange into a small mixing bowl.  After the orange is zested, squeeze the juice from the orange and add to small mixing bowl.  Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt.  Whisk together.

In a glass or ceramic baking dish, cover salmon with half of orange zest mixture, chopped thyme and fennel leaves.  Bake covered for 25 minutes.

In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Add thinly sliced onions and fennel and half of the orange zest juice mixture.  Saute on low heat for about 25 minutes while salmon cooks.  Serve salmon on top of the fennel with a side of brown rice.   Enjoy!