Recipe: Roasted salmon with marinated fennel and thyme

Roasted salmon with marinated fennel and thyme

Total time: 1 hour, plus marinating time for the fennel

Servings: 8

Note: This gorgeous main course can be put together in 5 minutes, once you prepare the marinated fennel. Adapted from “The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking� by Phyllis Glazer and Miriyam Glazer

Marinated fennel:

3 pounds fennel (3 bulbs)

2 onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2 lemons, sliced lengthwise into thin strips and seeds removed

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2/3 cup Passover white wine vinegar (optional)

Pinch of sugar dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil to cover

1. Wash, dry and trim the fennel stalks till they meet the top and sides of the bulb. Remove dry or pulpy outer leaves, stalks and edible leaves. Discard or save the outer leaves and stalks for soup and the leaves for garnish.

2. Slice the bulbs thinly crosswise. Place the slices in a large glass or non-reactive bowl with the onion, garlic, lemon and thyme. Mix in vinegar and sugar water. Season with 11/2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper and cover with extra-virgin olive oil (or half olive oil, half vegetable oil), making sure that the olive oil covers the fennel.

3. Submerge the vegetables using a dish smaller than the circumference of the bowl, weighted with a kettle half-filled with water. Set aside for several hours at room temperature or, if making the day before, place in a tightly closed jar and refrigerate. This makes about 3 quarts marinated fennel, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The salad will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 5 days; drain the salad before serving.

Salmon and assembly:

Several bunches of fresh thyme

1 (2-pound) center-cut, skin-on salmon fillet

Coarse salt to taste

4 cups drained marinated fennel, divided

1/3 cup oil from marinated fennel

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the thyme sprigs in single layer in center of a heavy baking sheet. Place the salmon, skin side down, atop the thyme. Season the salmon with half teaspoon salt, or to taste. Spread 2 cups drained marinated fennel (including lemon slices and thyme sprigs) over the fish. Drizzle the oil over the fish. The fish can be prepared up to 8 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated.

2. Roast the salmon until the outside of the fish is opaque and the fennel salad is just beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to cook until the salmon has reached desired doneness, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with the remaining marinated fennel.

Each serving: 330 calories; 24 grams protein; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 24 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 62 mg. cholesterol; 1 gram sugar; 284 mg. sodium.