Slow Roasted Salmon with Caramelized Leeks
I have been making this recipe for years and think I have perfected it. It is simple and yet delicious. The leeks are slowly caramelized in butter with a bit of brown sugar. At the last minute you drizzle the leeks with lemon juice, which combines with the butter to give the leeks a richness with a tang. If you don’t have leeks you can substitute green cabbage for a similar effect although leeks are the best. Slow roast the salmon on parchment at 225 F for 40 to 50 minutes on a bed of thinly sliced lemons for a succulent outcome.
Gather up the following:
3 leeks
2 1/4 teaspoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 to 2 pound salmon fillet
1 lemon thinly sliced
Olive oil
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
parchment paper
Preheat oven to 225 F.
If you can, remove the skin form the salmon, or cook it with the skin on. Place the parchment on a baking sheet or dish and lay the sliced lemons on the parchment. Season the fish on both sides with the salt and place the fillets (or fillet if you are roasting a whole fillet) on the bed of lemons. Drizzle a tablespoon olive oil over the salmon and sprinkle it with the cayenne pepper. Bake salmon for 40 to 50 minutes, until it begins to flake with a fork at the thickest part of the fillet, then remove from the oven.
While the fish is cooking, remove roots, outer leaves, and tops of the leeks and cut them in half lengthwise. Rinse the leeks with cold water and cut each half into 3-inch julienne strips. If you want to try this with cabbage, cut the leaves into 3-inch by 1/4-inch strips until you have about 3 cups of cabbage. Leeks are preferable but the cabbage is also nice and always easy to get and store.
To prepare the leeks, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks to pan, cook 4 minutes or until slightly wilted, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 20 minutes or until edges are browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in juice. Keep warm.
Place the fillet on a serving tray; top with the leek mixture and serve immediately.