Seared Salmon with White Beans & Fennel

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/seared_salmon_with_white_beans_fennel.html

From EatingWell:  February/March 2006, EatingWell Serves Two

You could call this recipe triple-fennel salmon because it uses the fresh fennel bulb, the fronds and fennel seeds. The end result is melt-in-your-mouth, seared salmon fillets with an earthy bean topping. Add a mixed green salad to complete the meal.

2 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small bulb fennel, halved, cored and thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 8 ounces center-cut salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 2 portions

Preparation

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced fennel; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato and wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato begins to break down, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in chopped fennel fronds, mustard and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover to keep warm.
2. Rinse and dry the pan. Combine fennel seed and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly on both sides of salmon. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the salmon, skinned side up; cook until golden brown, 3 to 6 minutes. Turn the salmon over, cover and remove from the heat. Allow the salmon to finish cooking off the heat until just cooked through, 3 to 6 minutes more. Serve the salmon with the bean mixture.

Nutrition

Per serving : 460 Calories; 21 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 10 g Mono; 67 mg Cholesterol; 39 g Carbohydrates; 34 g Protein; 13 g Fiber; 610 mg Sodium; 1589 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To skin a salmon fillet, place it skin-side down on a cutting board. Starting at one corner, slip the blade of a long, knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.