Feeding a crowd this New Year’s Eve? Consider offering something that is richly savoury, but won’t weigh down the party.
Christmas is about comfort and joy, so go ahead and bring out your carbs. But come the New Year, people are often looking for something flavourful, but for which they won’t have to do pennance over weight gain.
We started with a beautiful side of salmon, roasted it with butter and garlic, then dressed it with a warm lentil salad spiked with citrus and pomegranate.
The result is a beautiful dish that will make a statement on your holiday table.
If you can’t find creme fraiche, substitute sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt.
Roasted Salmon With Warm Lentil Salad
Start to finish: 45 minutes
500 ml (2 cups) green lentils
1.8-kg (4-lb) side of salmon, skin on
1 clove garlic, finely minced
30 ml (2 tbsp) butter
Salt and ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Segments of 3 oranges
Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate
5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
50 ml (1/4 cup) chopped fresh cilantro
Splash of hot sauce
1 tub (250 g/8 oz) creme fraiche
Juice of 1 orange
Heat oven to 200 C (400 F). Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add lentils and boil for 12 to 15 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
While lentils cook, prepare salmon. Place salmon, skin down, on prepared baking sheet. Rub with garlic. Place dots of butter all over surface of salmon, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes or until just the centre is slightly translucent.
While salmon roasts, prepare lentil salad. In a medium bowl, gently mix together cooked lentils, lemon zest and juice, orange segments, pomegranate seeds, coriander, cilantro and hot sauce. Season with salt and black pepper.
In a small bowl, stir together creme fraiche and orange juice.
To serve, place salmon on a large platter and arrange lentil salad around salmon. Drizzle with creme fraiche sauce.
Makes 10 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 430 calories; 140 calories from fat (33 per cent of total calories); 16 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 110 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 45 g protein; 7 g fibre; 280 mg sodium.