Lemon Rosemary Salmon with Roasted Asparagus

It is no secret that I love food. I love all kinds of food – American, Mexican, Indian, Chinese. I love casual food like burgers  and veggie kebabs, and I love fancy food like a perfectly cooked steak with foie gras. But everyone has their absolutely favorite food and today I am going to show you mine.

Oh, salmon, how I adore you. I love the simplicity of it. I love the versatility of it. I love to grill it, broil it, pan-sear it, bake it, or foil wrap it. I love smoked salmon. I love salmon burgers. But most of all? I love this lemon rosemary salmon with roasted asparagus.

I mean, just look at it. How can you not love it? If this dish isn’t screaming “summer”, I don’t know what is. Plus, this pretty much takes zero time, which is one of the things I love about foil packets. You gather the ingredients, wrap it up, and toss it in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Simple! And of course, we all know how I love my roasted vegetables, right?

One thing I don’t understand is people who don’t like salmon because it’s “too fishy”. Well, let me rephrase. I don’t understand people who don’t like {insert any type of fish here} because it’s “too fishy”. Um…I hate to be stating the obvious here, but it’s FISH, people. Fish should taste like fish. Am I right, or am I right?

Let’s ruminate on this fish for a few minutes. I kept it simple, seasoning the fish with salt and pepper, lemon, and fresh rosemary. The result is a perfectly light, elegant flavor that isn’t too overpowering; instead, it highlights the flavor of the salmon, and baking it inside the foil wrap keeps the fish light and moist, instead of dry and overcooked. Pair this salmon with a side of roasted asparagus, a fresh summer salad, and a crisp Chardonnay for a dinner party that’s sure to impress!

Now, if only I had some friends to invite over…

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves four)

1 salmon filet, approximately 1.5 lbs

1 lemon, sliced thin plus juice of one half lemon

5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary

sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

WHAT TO DO

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap around your fish. Drizzle some olive oil on the foil and lay the salmon skin side down on the oil. Drizzle some more olive oil on top of the salmon, then add salt and pepper to taste. Lay the rosemary sprigs down on the salmon and cove with the lemon slices. Spritz the lemon juice over everything and fold the foil around the salmon to form a packet. Bake the packet for approximately 40 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of your filet), or until fish is cooked through – it should flake easily with your fork. Sprinkle extra lemon juice on fish to serve.

Roasted Asparagus – serves four

Trim ends off one pound fresh asparagus and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay asparagus evenly on a baking pan and roast in oven for 30-40 minutes.