Baked Salmon on Lemony Kale Nest

Baking salmon on a nest of kale means EASIER CLEANUP, two words every cook loves to hear.  There is no need to line a pan with foil or spray with oil because the kale absorbs the juices from the salmon as it bakes.  My Creamy Baked Millet & Butternut Squash pairs well with this salmon and kale combo.

Penzeys is a spice company known for its high quality products and interesting blends.  I chose to smear this fillet with Chesapeake Bay Seasoning for extra flair.

Nutrition Highlight: Salmon

Salmon is a not only high in protein and omega-3s, but a 3 oz serving provides almost your whole day's worth of Vitamin D.  Other foods rich in vitamin D include dairy products, egg yolks, sardines, fortified orange juice, cremini mushrooms, and fortified cereal.  

Wild about Salmon

A 3 oz serving of wild Atlantic salmon has 447 IUs  of vitamin D, which is more than most fish.  It's recommend that adults 19-70 years old get a minimum of 600 IU daily, though some health professionals advocate an intake of at least 1000 IU due to new research showing the importance of vitamin D.  Many people are vitamin D deficient due to inadequate sun exposure and insufficient dietary intake.

Instead of Cookies with Milk. . .

Salmon's ample supply of vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium more efficiently.  You'll notice that milk is fortified with vitamin D to maximize the bone strengthening properties of milk's high calcium content.

Cooking Tip

Use kitchen shears for cutting scallions.

Kitchen shears are convenient for cutting a small amount of scallions (a.k.a. green onions or spring onions). Note that the white of the scallion is more pungent than the green part.

Baked Salmon on Lemony Kale Nest
Printable Recipe

Salmon's fat, composed of Omega 3 fatty acids, is right beneath the skin, which means that Omega-3s soak into the skin during cooking, making the skin a valuable source of nutrients. However, because of ocean pollutants, it's advisable to eat the skin of certified organic farmed or wild salmon.

1 large fillet of salmon 

1 tsp Chesapeake Bay Seasoning (from Penzeys: see ingredients below)

2 large leaves of kale

finely grated zest of a medium lemon
1 clove garlic, grated  (1/2 tsp)

1 T lemon juice (a quarter of a medium lemon)

1 spoonful of olive oil

1 scallion, snipped with shears (save the white for another dish)

2 sprigs of flat parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350º. Tear kale into large pieces and place in a small rectangular baking dish. 

While the oven is heating, squeeze the lemon juice & sprinkle lemon zest and garlic on the kale. Then place a large fillet of salmon on top of the kale.
Pour a little olive oil into a spoon and then drizzle over salmon. Sprinkle on seasoning and rub into the oil with the back of the spoon.
Bake salmon for 10-12 minutes.  Salmon is best slightly undercooked, so you want it to be a little translucent when you check the center with a paring knife. It's overcooked if it's completely opaque. 

Serve with vegetables, such as roasted broccoli and mushrooms, and a whole grain like Creamy Baked Butternut Millet or brown rice. Makes 2 servings.

Note: the white substance is the albumin (protein) that congeals as moisture gets squeezed out of the fish during cooking.

Penzeys' Chesapeake Bay Seasoning Ingredients:

paprika, salt, mustard, celery, ancho, black pepper, red pepper, dill, caraway, allspice, horseradish, cardamom, thyme, ginger, bay, mace, cinnamon, savory and cloves.

• If you don't have this mix, substitute with: 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/8 tsp red chili flakes, 1/8 tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, & 1/8 tsp ground ginger.