Salmon with Fennel

Salmon with Fennel

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook^© by Ina Garten

This is an Ina Garten recipe which she makes in large quantities for dinner parties using a 10 pound salmon. This version is scaled down to serve two. It also creates a way to  get the skin crispy which is my husband's favorite way to eat salmon.

Makes 2 servings                                                            1 WW pts / serving

Cooking spray
1/2 yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick 
1/2 cup sliced fennel bulb, 1/4-inch thick 
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
1/3 tsp. coarsely chopped fennel fronds
1/4 tsp. orange zest
1/2 tsp. orange juice
pinch Kosher salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. olive oil
2 1/4 lb. salmon fillets with the skin on

1. If time permits, pat the salmon dry and place it uncovered in the refrigerator for 60 minutes to further dry the skin.
2. Preheat an oven to 400F
3. In an oven proof pan coated with cooking spray, sauté the onion and fennel until tender crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add thyme thyme, fronds, zest, orange juice, salt and pepper; Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Heat a skillet over medium heat until it reaches a surface temperature of 375-400F*.
6. Pat the salmon dry then coat it with the olive oil.
7. Place the salmon skin side down in a pan and cook until the skin is crisp, about 5 minutes, pressing down on it occasionally to prevent it from curling.
8. Transfer the fish skin side up onto the fennel-onion mixture.
9. Place the pan in the oven and cook until the salmon is just cooked through, about 5 minutes more or until cooked through.
10. Serve the salmon sitting on the fennel-onion mixture.

Enjoy!

*To make sure the surface temperature is hot enough I like to use a laser thermometer. Just point and shoot and it read the temperature.