Fennel-Crusted Salmon with Orange and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Fast and fancy. Fennel and salmon really do work together, despite my initial doubts. Serve the salmon with a fresh orange vinaigrette on tender greens and it makes an over-the-top quick weeknight dinner.
I’ve adapted this recipe from one published in Salmon: The Cookbook –edited by Bill Jones.
Serves 4
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. crushed fennel seed
• 1 tsp. crushed peppercorns
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 4 salmon fillets
• oil for frying
• 4 cups fresh greens of your choice: arugula, baby kale, baby spinach, torn butter lettuce or a combination

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Crush the fennel seed and peppercorns. I used a mortar and pestle. Mix together with the salt. Rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and coat with the fennel mixture. In an ovenproof skillet or cast-iron frying pan over medium heat, heat a thin layer of oil. Put the salmon in, skin-side up, and fry for about 4 or 5 minutes. Flip it over carefully and slide the pan into the preheated oven to finish it off until it flakes easily with a fork but is still moist.
• Place a mound of greens on a plate, top with the salmon and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Orange and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

• 1 red bell pepper, roasted
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tsp. crushed fennel seed
• 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. walnut or hazelnut oil
• salt and pepper to taste

While you could roast the peppers yourself, it is a time-consuming task. I used store-bought. Whisk the bell peppers, shallot, orange juice, fennel seed and vinegar together. Add the oils slowly in a thin stream, whisking to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.

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