Citrus-Marinated Salmon with Fennel Cream

photo 7/15/2019

From Amy Riolo's The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook - Harness the Power of the World's Healthiest Diet to Live Better, Longer

I should have read the instructions first - before I discarded the fronds from the fresh fennel.  So the 'cream sauce' made from yogurt and herbs wasn't quite as intended.  Nonetheless, the salmon was soft and tasty - I'm thinking it would difficult to overcook, since it's in liquid and baked while covered.

I'm going to try cutting the fennel and onion into smaller pieces next time and let them soak up the marinade.  Making more of the marinade would help, and perhaps reserving some.
Halve the orange slices to place on top of the salmon.

Fennel is often eaten raw in salads, braised, or roasted as in this recipe.  The seeds can be boiled to make soothing teas.

Ingredients: 

2 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup OJ
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt or salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 salmon fillets, 4 oz each, skin on
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced - reserve fronds
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 oranges - one zested, 1 thinly sliced

Directions: 

1) In a small bowl, whisk the EVOO, OJ, salt and pepper until emulsified.
2) Place the salmon in a glass baking dish and pour marinade over the top.  Marinate for 1 hour.
3) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
4) Scatter fennel and onion around the sides of the salmon and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in color, 20-25 minutes.
5) While the fish is baking, combine the Greek yogurt with 2 Tbsp of fennel fronds, finely chopped, and orange zest.
6) Remove the fish from the oven and place on a serving plate.  Dollop each with about 1/4 of yogurt mixture and garnish with orange slices.