I am a big fan of flavor on a plate that’s light and effortless. I don’t need a “balanced” dinner with starch and the whole bit; just give me stuff that tastes good. The delicate flavors of the herbs go great with the salmon and asparagus. It’s hard to believe a dish that takes only an hour has such big flavor. Cooking the salmon by the “low and slow” method keeps this fatty fish really moist.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2

　　

Salmon and Asparagus

1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1/4 bunch fresh chives

　　1/4 bunch fresh tarragon

　　1/4 bunch fresh cilantro

　　1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons canola oil

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each, skin removed, about 1 inch thick

　　1 bunch asparagus, stems trimmed

　　

Marmalade

1 tablespoon canola oil

　　1 Vidalia onion, sliced

　　2 tablespoons orange juice

　　1 1/2 teaspoons honey

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 250°F. and line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Combine the herbs, dry mustard, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the canola oil in a blender or food processor and pulse to make a puree. Season the puree with salt and pepper and set aside to let the flavors marry. Place both the fish and asparagus in a baking pan and drizzle them with the remaining 3 tablespoons of canola oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake the salmon and asparagus for 20 minutes. While they cook, make the marmalade.

　　

Step 2

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Coat the pan with oil and add the onion. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to help the onion break down and slowly cook it, stirring, until it caramelizes and releases natural sugars, about 20 minutes. When very soft and cooked down, stir in the orange juice and honey. Season with salt and pepper. The mixture should have the consistency of marmalade.

　　

Step 3

Remove the salmon and asparagus from the oven. Drizzle the salmon and asparagus with the herb puree and serve with the honey-onion marmalade on the side. Garnish the plate with a few fresh herbs.

　　Reprinted with permission from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen by Tyler Florence. © 2003 Clarkson Potter