Main course Scandinavian-inspired
Mustardy salmon with beetroot and lentils
Meat & fish
Editorially prepared
Oven-baked salmon with a mustard and honey glaze, served with warm lentils and beetroot. Crème fraîche brings the accompaniments together, while dill, capers and lemon add a fresh, tangy finish.
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Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
Increase the ingredients proportionally, keeping the fillets a similar size. Arrange the fish in a single layer and use a shallow dish for the lentils and beetroot. For more servings, use extra dishes; cooking in batches will increase the total time.
Substitutions
Substitute amounts are adjusted to your selected servings.
- Instead of cooked Puy lentils, drainedcooked green lentils
Use the same drained weight. Choose lentils that still hold their shape; red lentils break down too easily.
- Instead of crème fraîchethick soured cream, 18% fat
Use the same weight. The coating will be slightly lighter and tangier. Stir it in only after taking the dish out of the oven and do not boil.
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Optional ingredients and substitutions
You’ll need
Oven large enough for a baking tray and shallow dish together · Baking tray and baking parchment · Shallow ovenproof dish, about 25 × 30 cm · Small bowl and spoon · Chopping board and knife · Fine grater · Food thermometer · Fish slice
Method
0/5 stepsPrepare the lentils and beetroot
Set the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. While the oven heats, drain the beetroot and cut it into wedges about 1–2 cm thick. Loosen the lentils with a fork in a shallow ovenproof dish, then add the beetroot and half the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper, mix and spread evenly.
Prepare the lentils and beetroot Glaze the salmon
Mix the remaining olive oil with the mustard, honey and a little salt and pepper. Pat the salmon dry, check for pin bones and place it skin-side down on the tray, leaving space between the fillets. Spread the glaze over the tops and sides. Wash your hands and any utensils that touched the raw salmon.
Glaze the salmon Bake the fish and heat the accompaniments
Once the oven reaches the set temperature, put in the salmon tray and the lentil dish. Bake for about 12–18 minutes from putting them in the oven; allow 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the additions in the next step. After 10 minutes, check the fish and stir the lentils and beetroot. Remove the salmon when its thickest part reaches 63°C and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. The lentils and beetroot should be hot throughout, including the centre of the dish. If either component is not ready, continue baking it and check every 2–3 minutes; remove the finished component and cover loosely while the other finishes.
15:00Bake the fish and heat the accompaniments Prepare the dill and lemon
While the food bakes, wash and dry the dill, discard the thick stalks and chop the tender parts. Wash the lemon, finely grate the yellow zest and cut the fruit into wedges for serving. Drain the capers and measure out the crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds. Set everything aside until the lentils and beetroot are hot.
Prepare the dill and lemon Finish and serve
Check that the salmon is cooked and the lentils and beetroot are hot. Once the dish is out of the oven, stir the crème fraîche, all the chopped dill, capers and lemon zest into the lentils and beetroot. Mix gently to keep the lentils intact; the cream should lightly coat them rather than form a pool of sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide between plates, place a salmon fillet alongside, scatter over the pumpkin seeds and add the lemon wedges. Serve straight away.
Finish and serve
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Tips
- Cut the beetroot into small wedges so it heats through alongside the fish. Loosen the lentils with a fork before baking.
- Capers and mustard are salty, so make the final adjustment to the salt after adding the capers.
- If the glaze darkens before the centre of the fish is cooked, loosely cover the salmon with foil and continue baking, checking its temperature.
Storage
Store only fully cooked salmon. Divide leftovers into small portions, cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Keep in sealed containers and eat within 48 hours. Store the seeds separately. Reheat only once, until the whole portion is steaming hot throughout.
Timing
Hands-on: 28 min · Cooking: 15 min
The total allows for tasks done in parallel. The individual times can overlap.
