Take a beautiful fillet of salmon, layer it with sautéed sweet onion and fennel, herbs and citrus. Then roast, letting the juice from the orange and lemon settle gently into the tender flesh of this gorgeous fish.
Roasting a large piece of fish can be daunting but this is an easy dish with great results. The salmon is tender, moist and full of delicate flavors.
And it’s perfect for entertaining or feeding a group. You can sauté the onions and fennel in advance then finish up, roasting the salmon shortly before you’re ready serve it.
I frequently use Atlantic salmon but have used other types of salmon such as Copper River when it’s in season, so don’t be afraid to go with your favorite. The aromatics come from fennel and onion along with fresh parsley, thyme and a handful of the fennel fronds.
Fresh orange and lemon brighten the flavors and lend a hand in keeping the fish moist while roasting.
Just like seasoning any meat before cooking, generously seasoning the fish before roasting is so important. And I prefer kosher salt – table salt is too harsh and bitter.
For roasting I use a large sauté pan, one that can go from cooktop to the oven. There’s enough salmon to feed 6 and up to 8 people, depending on the sides you’re serving along with it. But even if you’re cooking for a small group any roasted salmon that’s leftover is fabulous tossed into a salad.
Salmon is widely available in fine food markets and even available online from a number of gourmet food sites. Most salmon is sold with the pin bones removed but you can ask the fishmonger to be sure. In a pinch you can remove them with a clean pair of needle-nose pliers. So search out your favorite fishmonger and never fear – roasting a salmon is a quick and delectable!
Citrus and Fennel Roasted Salmon
Whole Atlantic salmon fillet, skin on with pin bones removed – about 3 to 3-½ pounds
2-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin – about 2 cups, reserve about 8 to 10 fronds
1 large onion, sliced thin – about 2 cups
Zest and juice of 1 large orange, plus 1 orange sliced
8 sprigs fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried
8 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 lemon, sliced
Fresh lemon or orange juice for serving
About 30 minutes before roasting place the salmon fillet on a rimmed baking sheet and pat dry. Sprinkle 1-½ teaspoons of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper over the flesh of the salmon. Let the salmon rest for about 20 to 30 minutes to take the chill off before roasting. Lightly spray a large ovenproof sauté pan with cooking spray. You’ll want to use a pan large enough to hold the salmon fillet when it’s folded in half. Melt the butter with the olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel bulb and the onion.
Sauté for about 5 minutes then stir in the orange zest and the orange juice. You should have about 1 teaspoon orange zest and ½ cup orange juice. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Check for seasoning, adding more kosher salt and pepper if needed.
Toss in the fennel fronds, the parsley and the thyme. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes or until the onions and fennel are both very tender and the herbs are wilted.
Take about half of the onions, fennel and herb mixture and spread it on the large half of the salmon fillet.
Top with slices of orange and lemon. Fold the tail end of the salmon up over the filling. Place the salmon fillet into the pan setting it on top of the remaining onion and fennel mixture.
Roast the salmon in a 450-degree oven for 35 minutes.
Serve the salmon topped with some of the roasted fennel and onion along with an extra squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice. Wonderful hot or at room temperature.
Serves 6.
Citrus and Fennel Roasted Salmon
Equipment
- Large ovenproof sauté pan
Ingredients
- Whole Atlantic salmon fillet, skin on with pin bones removed, about 3 to 3-½ pounds
- 2-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin, about 2 cups, reserve about 8 to 10 fronds
- 1 large onion, sliced thin, about 2 cups
- Zest and juice of 1 large orange, plus 1 orange sliced
- 8 sprigs fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Fresh lemon or orange juice for serving
Instructions
- About 30 minutes before roasting place the salmon fillet on a rimmed baking sheet and pat dry. Sprinkle 1-½ teaspoons of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper over the flesh of the salmon. Let the salmon rest for about 20 to 30 minutes to take the chill off before roasting.
- Lightly spray a large ovenproof sauté pan with cooking spray. You’ll want to use a pan large enough to hold the salmon fillet when it's folded in half. Melt the butter with the olive oil in the pan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced fennel bulb and the onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes then stir in the orange zest and the orange juice. You should have about 1 teaspoon orange zest and ½ cup orange juice.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Check for seasoning, adding more kosher salt and pepper if needed.
- Toss in the fennel fronds, the parsley and the thyme. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes or until the onions and fennel are both very tender and the herbs are wilted.
- Take about half of the onions, fennel and herb mixture and spread it on the large half of the salmon fillet. Top with slices of orange and lemon. Fold the tail end of the salmon up over the filling.
- Place the salmon fillet into the pan setting it on top of the remaining onion and fennel mixture.
- Roast the salmon in a 450-degree oven for 35 minutes.
- Serve the salmon topped with some of the roasted fennel and onion along with an extra squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice. Wonderful hot or at room temperature.
