Roasted Salmon and Potatoes with Fresh Basil Oil

Roasting is often a favorite method for beginner cooks, because it falls into the category of “set it and forget it.” This recipe takes advantage of this rather simple method of cooking and also asks beginners to step just a bit outside of one’s comfort zone by making a fresh, herbaceous basil oil. This recipe was inspired by Food and Wine’s “Roast Salmon with Lemony Basil Sauce” . I simplified the sauce for beginners by reducing the components, and I also added my favorite recipe for roasted potatoes to make this a complete dinner dish. Recommended wine pairing is a Cabernet Franc, which is bold enough to stand up to the salmon, but soft enough on the finish to not overpower the basil oil. This is an ideal dinner suitable for both an elegant dinner party and a weeknight treat in solitude.

• Wild Salmon (4, 6 oz filet’s or equivalent)

• Basil

• Green garlic or garlic cloves

• Capers

• Lemon

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• New potatoes

• Butter

• Paprika

• Garlic powder

  *Serves Four

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place salmon filets on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil. Smooth oil across the top of salmon with your fingers or a brush so it is well coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Slice new potatoes into 1/4 inch slices (enough to fill one sheet pan with space between each potato). Toss potatoes on a second sheet pan with 1 tablespoon softened butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika and several healthy grinds of salt and pepper. Space potatoes evenly on sheet pan.

3. Start by roasting potatoes for 10 minutes in the top 1/3 of the oven. Remove after 10 minutes and toss well, then space evenly once again and return sheet pan to the oven, this time in the bottom 1/3 of oven. Place the sheet pan with salmon in top 1/3 of oven and roast both for 20 minutes. To remove skin from salmon, slide a spatula between the meat and skin once the salmon is done cooking.

4. While salmon and potatoes are roasting, make your fresh basil oil. Combine juice from 1/2 large lemon, 1 cup fresh basil, 1/2 head green garlic or 1 small clove garlic, 1 tablespoon capers, 1/2 cup olive oil and 3-5 grinds of salt in a food processor. Coarsely chop into an herbaceous green sauce. Drizzle over salmon and potatoes and serve.