It’s been unbearably hot here these days. Or as most Bay Area natives would declare, it’s been “hella” hot. Not quite the utopian environment for a self proclaimed winter lover like myself. On hot, sweltering days like the ones that we’ve been having lately, I usually find myself wielding an incredibly sluggish attitude and being overwhelmed with malaise. On these types of days, I have very little mental prowess to do much of anything – other than nap. The general lack of lively activity in my neighbourhood leads me to believe that I’m not alone in succumbing to laziness just as the mercury begins to climb (or as in the case of this past week, skyrocket).
This easy, no brainer recipe for slow baked salmon is the perfect solution for a midweek supper on a hot night, or on any night when you’re just too tired to cook. Slow baking the salmon at low temperatures lends to a moist, and tender fillet. The addition of basil and parsley to the classic culinary pair of salmon and dill, introduces another layer of delicious flavour. But the absolute best part about this recipe is that it requires minimal effort, yet it yields such healthy, amazing results. I typically like to serve this with a side of bright green veggies and a generous helping of greek quinoa salad.
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (adjust to taste; I used about 6 small cloves - I love garlic!)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 T fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried basil), chopped fine
- 1 T fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried parsley), chopped fine
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small lemon, juiced (about 2-3 T of lemon juice)
- 2 6 oz salmon fillets
- 1/2 small lemon, sliced
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Slightly spray a shallow glass baking dish with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Place salmon fillets in a shallow plate or bowl and pour lemon and herb mixture over the fish.
- Massage the mixture into the salmon, and allow this to sit for about 30 minutes.
- Once the oven has heated, place the salmon fillets into the oiled baking dish and pour any remaining marinade on top.
- Arrange lemon slices on top of the fish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the centre of the fillet becomes opaque (about 20 - 25 minutes).
- This recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled) to accommodate larger crowds . Serve alongside steamed vegetables or a greek salad. Enjoy!
