Adaptable Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus, Herbs and Root Vegetables with their Greens (beet, turnip and radish variations) / Farmshare Cooking Weeks 3 and 4

FARMSHARE COOKING WEEK 3

Shell peas, radishes and romaine- Made into salad with Smokey Buttermilk Dressing
Baby bok choy, spring onions- Used in Healthy Ramen with Homemade Rice Noodles
Radish tops- Sauteed with spring onions and eaten with eggs
Strawberries- Eaten with gluten-free whole grain cereal for breakfast

FARMSHARE COOKING WEEK 4

Shell peas and head lettuce- Made into Salad with Shell Peas, Macadamia Nuts, Bacon, Mint and Spring Onions
Garlic scapes- Used in Amaranth Herb Fritters
Hakurei Turnips with their greens/ Beets with their greens- Served with Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus and Herbs (recipes below)
Strawberries and Spinach- Made into Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Spring onions and Bacon

A few weeks ago, I worked my volunteer shifts at the Flatbush Farmshare. The farmshare is run by volunteers and every member has to work two shifts. I really enjoy it. If I worked at a job where I could predict when I would be done with work, I would love to volunteer more hours. I enjoy hearing about what people are planning to cook with the vegetables and I, of course, I love to give suggestions to folks who need ideas. I have lots of cooking ideas.

At my recent shift, I was measuring out spinach and passing out bunches of tiny beets with their greens. A surprising number of people were really excited about the beets! I learned that if you are the kind of person who loves beets, you are also the kind of person who likes to sing about beets and maybe even do a little dance of joy when you see them.

Not everyone was thrilled about the beets. People have to bring their own bags and some were flustered by wrestling the beet greens into their bags. A number of people commented on how they were just going to throw the beet greens away! Now, there is a little devil on my shoulder that says, “offer to remove the beet greens for them and then take them all home for yourself!” but my better nature won out. I sang the praises of the beet greens and encouraged the fearful to saute them with the spinach and the garlic scapes (which were also causing anxiety that week). I found myself fretting about whether anyone was defending the deliciousness of the turnip greens at the other end of the distribution table. There are few things that upset me more than food waste.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Lemon, Parsley and Baby Turnips and Their Greens https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/adaptable-slow-roasted-salmon-with-citrus-herbs-and-root-vegetables-with-their-greens-beet-turnip-and-radish-variations-farmshare-cooking-weeks-3-and-4/

Slow Roasted Salmon with Orange, Dill and Beets and Their Greens

Slow Roasted Salmon with Lime, Cilantro and Radishes and Their Greens

I used my beets and turnips (and their respective greens) in this slow roasted salmon dish. It’s adapted from a recipe that I saw in Bon Appetite. The slow roasting technique give the salmon a wonderful velvety texture. However, it is important to use a fatty salmon such as sockeye or king salmon. If you use pink salmon, even lovely pink salmon that your fisherman friend brought you, it will not be fatty enough for this method. I am sorry that I cannot offer guidance on the farm raised varieties of salmon. I am deeply opposed to salmon farming and only eat wild caught fish.

The original recipe calls for turnips and swiss chard. It was the actually swiss chard that drew me in because it is one of my favourite foods. However, I realized that it would be more efficient to use the turnip’s own greens. Also, the original recipe call for zest of lemon and juice of lime. Why not just use the zest and juice of just one or the other? It called for fresh parsley and cilantro. I sometimes have both of those herbs in my fridge, but thought that it would probably be fine with more of just one herb in a pinch. The recipe called for shallots, but I more frequently have onion, scallions or even leeks on hand. This recipe turned out to be very adaptable and forgave all of my little frugal adjustments. It is so adaptable, in fact, that it works just as well with other root vegetables and their greens.

Here are three variations (turnip, beet and radish) on this basic slow roasted salmon dish. Although each one follows the exact same method, they are totally different in flavour. The beet, orange and dill version is probably my favourite because it is sweet. I’ve made it twice. Once with baby red beets from the farmshare and once with the golden beets pictured here. The radish, lime and cilantro version is spicy and tart and would be great served with corn on the cob. The turnip, lemon and parsley variation is fantastic too. Feel free to pair the herbs and citrus differently if you happen to have another combination on hand!

SLOW ROASTED SALMON WITH TURNIPS, LEMON AND PARSLEY

1 lemon
4 6-oz. pieces Sockeye or King salmon fillet
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
2 bunches of turnips with their greens
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/3 cup chopped onions, leek whites or spring onions)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Preheat oven to 250°.
Place salmon in a large baking dish. If your salmon still has it’s skin, place it skin side down. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Zest the lemon to get 1 teaspoon to gently rub into the salmon. Set the lemon aside for later. Season the salmon with salt and scatter garlic around. Bake until salmon is medium-rare (mostly opaque but still slightly translucent in the center), 30–35 minutes.
Meanwhile, scrub the turnips. Halve or quarter them if they are large. Combine turnips, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and 1 cup water in a large skillet and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until turnips are fork-tender, 15–20 minutes. Uncover and cook, tossing occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and turnips are golden, 5 minutes.
While turnips are cooking, wash the turnip greens. If the ribs are large and woody, cut them out and discard them. If the greens are tender leave them in! Thinly slice the greens crosswise. Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shallot (or leek or onion or spring onion) and turnip greens, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Toss in parsley, and the juice from the lemon. Season with salt.
If the salmon fillet has skin carefully remove it (this is easy once it’s cooked). Place the salmon on top of the turnip greens with the turnips scattered around the edges of the skillet. Drizzle the salmon with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

SLOW ROASTED SALMON WITH BEETS, ORANGE AND DILL

1/2 of a small orange
4 6-oz. pieces Sockeye or King salmon fillet
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
2 bunches of beets with their greens
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/3 cup chopped onions, leek whites or spring onions)
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Preheat oven to 250°.
Place salmon in a large baking dish. If your salmon still has it’s skin, place it skin side down. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Zest the orange to get 1 teaspoon to gently rub into the salmon. Set the orange aside for later. Season the salmon with salt and scatter garlic around. Bake until salmon is medium-rare (mostly opaque but still slightly translucent in the center), 30–35 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the beets. Halve or quarter them if they are large. Combine the beets with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and 1 cup water in a large skillet and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until beets are fork-tender, 15–20 minutes. Uncover and cook, tossing occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and beets are golden, 5 minutes.
While the beets are cooking, wash the beet greens. If the ribs are large and woody, cut them out and discard them. If they are tender leave them in! Thinly slice the greens crosswise. Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shallot (or leek or onion or spring onion) and beet greens, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Toss in the dill, and the juice from the reserved 1/2 orange. Season with salt.
If the salmon fillet has skin carefully remove it (this is easy once it’s cooked). Place the salmon on top of the beet greens with the beets scattered around the edges of the skillet. Drizzle the salmon with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

SLOW ROASTED SALMON WITH RADISHES, LIME AND CILANTRO

1 lime
4 6-oz. pieces Sockeye or King salmon fillet
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
2 bunches of radishes with their greens
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small shallot, finely chopped (or 1/3 cup chopped onions, leek whites or spring onions)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Preheat oven to 250°.
Place salmon in a large baking dish. If your salmon still has it’s skin, place it skin side down. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Zest the lime to get 1 teaspoon to gently rub into the salmon. Set the lime aside for later. Season the salmon with salt and scatter garlic around. Bake until salmon is medium-rare (mostly opaque but still slightly translucent in the center), 30–35 minutes.
Meanwhile, scrub the radishes. Halve them if they are large. Combine the radishes with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and 1 cup water in a large skillet and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until beets are fork-tender, 15–20 minutes. Uncover and cook, tossing occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and the radishes are golden, 5 minutes.
While the radishes are cooking, wash the radish greens. Thinly slice the greens crosswise. Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook shallot (or leek or onion or spring onion) and beet greens, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Toss in the cilantro, and the juice from the reserved lime. Season with salt.
If the salmon fillet has skin carefully remove it (this is easy once it’s cooked). Place the salmon on top of the radish greens with the radishes scattered around the edges of the skillet. Drizzle the salmon with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve!

MORE SALMON…