Salmon with Warm Lentil Salad

As you may have noticed I’ve been MIA for a while. I didn’t intend to take a hiatus, it just happened. I got a new student a few weeks ago, sooner than expected, so there was lots to do. It has kept me quite busy; so busy that my house was beginning to look a little war-torn. Thank goodness for dishwashers otherwise I’d have a kitchen full of dishes too.

Although today I had to work, I had a nice plan for dinner; something I’ve wanted to try for a while. It’s easy to prepare and tastes so delicious. The recipe is from Real Simple and many of their recipes are exactly that. I made a double batch for the salad dressing and added extra Dijon mustard to cut down the vinegar a bit. It would be great for a week-night meal.

Salmon with Warm Lentil Salad            Serves 4
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch arugula, torn (about 4 cups)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes per side. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, onion, parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the lentils and arugula to the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve with the salmon and lemon wedges.