I’ve been in a bit of a cooking rut lately (which is why I haven’t posted many recipes recently). Work has been busy which means that by the time I get home, I just want to eat something quickly with little effort. So I started researching 20 minute meals that are really simple to make, as long as I can get to the supermarket!
This recipe from Cooking Light has a bunch of components I love but that I don’t normally put together: seared salmon with polenta topped with a warm tomato vinaigrette. It’s really tasty and comes together in no time, my kind of meal!
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon whole milk or heavy cream (or whatever milk you have available)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Add the chicken broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
While waiting for the broth to come to a boil, halve your grape tomatoes and add to a medium sized bowl. Mince your red onion and add to the same bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon capers.
Mix to combine and set aside.
When the broth is boiling, gradually whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly until the cornmeal is incorporated and begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. When there is a minute or two left, add the milk, stirring to incorporate it into the polenta.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirling to coat. Sprinkle the fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the salmon, skin side down to the pan and cook for 7 minutes.
Turn the salmon over and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Remove the salmon from the pan and keep warm.
Add the tomato mixture to the pan, reducing the heat to medium, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add 3/4 cup polenta to 4 bowls and top each with 1 salmon fillet and 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with parsley.
This meal is absolutely delicious! I cooked the tomato mixture longer than the original recipe suggested so that the tomatoes would give off some more liquid.
I loved the tanginess of the tomato mixture with the creamy polenta, what a great pairing!
The meal took about 20 minutes in total, which makes this a great option for a weeknight.
- 3½ cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon whole milk or heavy cream (or whatever milk you have available)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup minced red onion
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Add the chicken broth and ¼ teaspoon salt to a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
- While waiting for the broth to come to a boil, halve your grape tomatoes and add to a medium sized bowl. Mince your red onion and add to the same bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon capers. Mix to combine and set aside.
- When the broth is boiling, gradually whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly until the cornmeal is incorporated and begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When there is a minute or two left, add the milk, stirring to incorporate it into the polenta.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirling to coat. Sprinkle the fish with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the salmon, skin side down to the pan and cook for 7 minutes.
- Turn the salmon over and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Remove the salmon from the pan and keep warm.
- Add the tomato mixture to the pan, reducing the heat to medium, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add ¾ cup polenta to 4 bowls and top each with 1 salmon fillet and ½ cup of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with parsley.
What do you think?