I’m always looking for ways to make salmon more interesting since I tend to always make it the same two ways: baked with lemon or poached. Here you bake the salmon, but it is wrapped in Swiss chard and is flavored with chipotles in adobo and orange. Chipotles in adobo are delicious and they have that extra kick of smoky flavor. Most recipes only need one or two chipotles. Freeze any leftover chipotles in adobo in a resealable plastic bag to use later. The creamy polenta pairs well with the smokiness of the chipotle. Both of these recipes require only 5 ingredients. Claire Robinson would be proud. The salmon takes 20 minutes start to finish, and the polenta only 5. Serves 2.
Swiss Chard Wrapped Salmon with Soft Polenta
Ingredients
• 2 small blood oranges
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped, seeds removed (or two if you like things spicy and smoky)
• 2 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless salmon fillets
• 2 large Swiss chard leaves, trimmed
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure
1. Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
2. Grease the bottom of a baking dish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; set aside.
3. Zest oranges and transfer zest to a small bowl. Peel and segment oranges, discarding any seeds. Add to bowl with zest along with chipotle, 1/2 teaspoon oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently; set salsa aside.
4. Brush salmon all over with 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash the rib of each chard leaf to make it more pliable or remove it. Brush each side of the chard leaf with a little bit of olive oil. Arrange each salmon fillet on one of the chard leaves and spoon half the salsa over each. Wrap salmon and salsa in chard leaves, folding in the leaf ends to make 2 packages. Arrange in baking dish, seam-sides down. Sprinkle the top of the packages with salt and pepper.
5. Bake about 15 minutes and serve.
Adapted from this Whole Foods recipe.
Soft Polenta
• ½ cup polenta (I really like de la Estancia brand)
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons half and half, or milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
1. Place stock and half and half on a sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce down to simmer, and add the polenta slowly, whisking until is stars coming away from the sides on the pan. Add butter and Parmesan cheese and stir well. Serve the swiss chard wrapped salmon over the soft polenta.
One Vanilla Bean 