Winter Reboot

Slow Roasted Salmon with Skillet Barley & Horseradish Sauce:

I took a sabbatical recently from posting to this blog. Not from cooking altogether, and not by design, but from a need to rethink and reinvent. Ok, and a little gravity of life got in the way too. It goes without saying that life can punch you about from time to time, whether personal or professional, and it will always be fluid. But it’s in those moments you have the opportunity to reinvent yourself. Being fluid in the kitchen for me is inherent, and sometimes an outer body experience. I have written before how passionate cooks don’t necessarily cook because they have to. They cook because gravity pulls them with uncontrollable force to want to. And there is nothing like a frigidSlow Roasted Salmon with Skillet Barley & Broccolini & Horseradi New England winter day (-10°F), with a roaring fire burning in the background, to provide that inspiration to cook something comforting and new. As happens, when I wrote this recipe I had a different picture in my head, and as the pieces came together, the fluid adjustments created something harmonious and memorable. The skillet barley felt like a creamy and comforting risotto which rebooted the original concept, while the horseradish sauce added the kick needed for a cold winter night. Cooking salmon at low temperatures delivers a velvety finish, and the undercooked broccolini offered the subtle contrast of crunch.

SECRET INGREDIENT: Coriander seeds

TIP: Don’t try to cook salmon faster at higher temperature. You will get more succulent results with low heat.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Skillet Barley & Horseradish Sauce

  • Salmon (1 lb, skin-on)
  • Lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
  • Olive oil (2 Tbl, divided)
  • Coriander seeds (1 Tbl, crushed in mortar and pestle)
  • Salt & fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
  • Fresh Tarragon leaves (for garnish)
  1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
  2. Coat bottom of baking dish with a tablespoon olive oil and place salmon skin side down. Sprinkle with crushed coriander seeds. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Remove and let rest.

Horseradish Sauce

  • Crème fraiche (1/2 cup)
  • Plain Yogurt (1/2 cup)
  • Horseradish, prepared (2 Tbl)
  • White wine vinegar (1 tsp)
  • Fresh Chives (1 Tbl, chopped)
  • Salt & fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
  1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Skillet Barley & Broccolini

  • Barley (1 cup)
  • Olive oil (2 Tbl, divided)
  • Shallot (1, minced)
  • Garlic (1 clove, minced)
  • Broccolini (1 ½ cups, chopped, stems and florets separated)
  • Butter (2 Tbl)
  • White wine (1/4 cup)
  • Coriander, ground (2 tsp)
  • Salt & fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
  • Vegetable stock (3/4 cup)
  • Parmesan Reggiano (1/2 cup, grated)
  • Parsley (2 Tbl, chopped)
  1. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil and then add barley and generous pinch of salt. Stirring occasionally, cook for 5 minutes until just toasted. Add 2 ½ cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 50 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add shallot and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add broccolini stems and cook for 2 minutes. Then stir in 1 ½ cups of the cooked barley (can use more if desired, or reserve remaining for another dish).
  4. Add butter and broccolini florets. Once butter is melted, add wine and deglaze pan cooking for additional 2 minutes. Season with coriander, salt and pepper.
  5. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove from heat and stir in parmesan and parsley.

Slow Roasted Salmon with Skillet Barley & Broccolini & Horseradi

One thought on “Winter Reboot

  1. So happy to see the Seasonalist back again!! This is the only way I have never tried with salmon so thanks for another reason to cook another salmon dinner. I think I can taste your sauce recipe just reading the ingredients! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️- Linda

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