Salmon over Warm Lentil, Apple & Walnut Salad

From EatingWell: April 1998 — Subscribe Now!

Broiled salmon nestles on top of a warm apple-studded lentil salad and a simple sauce made with pureed lentils and their cooking liquid. Serve with sautéed spinach or chard.

Salmon over Warm Lentil, Apple & Walnut Salad Recipe

6 servings

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Lentil Salad

6 cups water, divided
1 cup French green lentils, (see Note)
1 cup dry red wine
1 medium onion,halved
1 carrot, halved
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 parsley stems, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Granny Smith apple
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Salmon

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 6 portions
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly, ground
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Preparation

To prepare lentil salad: Combine 2 cups water and lentils in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain and return the lentils to the pan.
Add remaining 4 cups water, wine, onion, carrot and garlic to the pan. Tie thyme sprigs, parsley stems, cloves and bay leaf in a cheesecloth bag and add to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes more. Drain, reserving 1 cup liquid. Discard the cheesecloth bag. Cut carrot and onion into 1/4-inch dice.
Place the reserved liquid and 1/2 cup of the cooked lentils in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Place 1/2 cup of the puree in a large bowl; mix in the remaining lentils, diced carrot, onion and olive oil. Scrape the remaining puree into a small saucepan.
Peel, core and finely dice apple. Stir apple, walnuts and parsley into the lentil-carrot mixture. Cover and keep warm.
To broil salmon: Preheat broiler. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Brush both sides of salmon with canola oil and season each side with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet and lay 1 thyme sprig over each fillet. Broil 6 inches from the flame without turning just until opaque in the center, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the reserved lentil puree. Make a bed of the lentil salad on 6 plates and spoon the lentil puree around the outside. Place the salmon on top. Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

Note: French green lentils are firmer than brown lentils and cook more quickly. They can be found in natural-foods stores and some supermarkets.
Tips: To toast chopped walnuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
How to skin a salmon fillet: Place salmon fillet on a clean cutting board, skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding 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.

Nutrition

Per serving: 409 calories; 18 g fat (3 g sat, 7 g mono); 67 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 6 g fiber; 282 mg sodium; 821 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (60% daily value), Vitamin A (38% dv), Potassium (24% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv)

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1 fat