Grilled Salmon over Lentil Salad with Charred Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
This “healthy-ish” recipe combines tender nutty lentils with bitter radicchio, frisée and anise-flavored fennel all tossed in a charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette and topped with filets of salmon.
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This “healthy-ish” recipe combines tender nutty lentils with bitter radicchio, frisée and anise-flavored fennel all tossed in a charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette and topped with filets of salmon. I could eat salmon just about every day – I just love the flavor, especially when it’s cooked just right. In this recipe the salmon is quickly grilled on a grill pan until there is just an outer crust that forms, then finished cooking in the oven until just tender.
Grilled Salmon over Lentil Salad with Charred Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Salmon – While the most common type of salmon sold in stores is Atlantic salmon, there are many other varieties. Atlantic salmon is much fattier and thicker than sockeye salmon. The salmon is seasoned simply with salt and pepper before it’s cooked on a grill pan to create those signature marks then finished in the oven until it’s just cooked through. For a more sustainable option use steelhead trout in place of the salmon. It’s similar in texture and color.
- Meyer lemon – Meyer lemons are much less acidic and tart than your typical lemons. The citrus is available in winter from early December through May and with their sweet flavor they can be eaten raw if desired. They have a thin skin and are deeper yellow, almost orange in color, in comparison to sunny-colored regular lemons. I char them for an almost smoky-sweet flavor that offsets the bitterness of the greens in this recipe.
- Lentils – I use beluga lentils in this recipe. The little black legumes get their name for their resemblance to caviar. They have a more firm texture than other types of lentils and are much smaller in size. I also like the earthy flavor they add to this recipe.
How to Make Grilled Salmon Over Lentil Salad
For the charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette:
- Char the lemons. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat, add the lemons cut side down and cook until char marks appear, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and juice the lemons.
- Whisk together the vinaigrette. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, mustard, and shallot until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.
For the salmon:
- Cook the salmon on a grill pan. Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper then brush the grill pan with the vegetable oil then add the salmon filets, skin side up to the pan. Sear until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes.
- Finish cooking in the oven. Remove and arrange on a baking sheet, skin side down and roast until just cooked through, about an additional 8 minutes.
To assemble and serve the dish:
- Cook the lentils. Sort the lentils, rinse with cool water and drain. Add lentils to a medium saucepan over medium heat with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and add the lentils to a large salad bowl.
- Assemble and serve. Add the frisée, radicchio, fennel and watermelon radish, tossing to combine with the lentils. Drizzle with the charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette and toss once again. Divide among salad bowls and top each with a piece of the salmon. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
- Brushing the grill pan with vegetable oil keeps the fish from sticking.
- As it cooks, do not move the fish; when it is just crisp enough it will easily release from the grill.
- This salmon recipe can also be cooked in a bit of vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat if you don’t have a grill pan. As with the grill pan method, when the fish is cooked it will easily release from the pan.
- This salmon can also be made on a charcoal or gas grill.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Grilled Salmon Over Lentil Salad with Charred Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
For the charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette:
- 1 large Meyer lemon, halved
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
For the salmon:
- 1 pound salmon or steelhead trout, cut into 4 equal fillets
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For serving:
- 1 cup black lentils
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium head frisée, leaves separated
- 1 medium head radicchio, chopped
- 1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced
Instructions:
For the charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette:
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat, add the lemons cut side down and cook until char marks appear, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and juice the lemons.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, mustard, and shallot until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.
For the salmon:
- Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper then brush the grill pan with the vegetable oil then add the salmon filets, skin side up to the pan. Sear until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. Remove and arrange on a baking sheet, skin side down and roast until just cooked through, about an additional 8 minutes.
For serving:
- Sort the lentils, rinse with cool water and drain. Add lentils to a medium saucepan over medium heat with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and add the lentils to a large salad bowl.
- Add the frisée, radicchio, fennel and watermelon radish, tossing to combine with the lentils. Drizzle with the charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette and toss once again. Divide among salad bowls and top each with a piece of the salmon. Serve immediately.
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