Pesto-Dijon Salmon

Roasted salmon fillets topped with a flavorful pesto-mustard-lemon sauce

This recipe is about as perfect as it gets for a simple weeknight meal. It's inspired by something I saw Geoffrey Zakarian make on The Kitchen and you know it's going to be good if it was developed by an Iron Chef. Just mix together some pesto, mustard, and lemon, spoon it over salmon, bake in the oven for 10 minutes, and - voila! - dinner is ready. The pesto and mustard combo is tangy and bright and melts over the salmon while it's cooking to form a flavorful glaze. Try it out on other types of fish or chicken, too. I made a big batch of homemade pesto earlier in the week and used it for pastas, sandwiches, and etc. for several days, since this recipe didn't require more than a few tablespoons. It calls for skinless salmon, so there's no worrying about crisping it in a hot skillet, and the lower oven temperature is much more forgiving to the delicate fish (i.e. it's much harder to overcook it). It's one of those multi-functional recipes that's easy to whip up on your busiest weeknight but is still elegant enough for company.


Related Recipes:
- Roasted Salmon with Green Harissa Sauce
- Grilled Chicken with Salsa Verde
- Panko and Herb-Crusted Salmon


Pesto-Dijon-Lemon Roasted Salmon:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• In a small bowl, stir together 3 tbsp. pesto,* 1 tbsp. dijon mustard, and 1 tsp. lemon juice.
• Brush a small baking sheet with softened butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Remove the skin and pin bones from two 6 oz. salmon fillets (or have your fishmonger do this for you).
• Place the salmon on the baking sheet, brush the top with a little more softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Gently spoon the pesto sauce on top of each fillet.
• Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through.
• Divide onto plates and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Serves two

*Homemade or freshly prepared from the store.