Roasted Salmon with Dill Tzatziki Sauce, Hericots Verts, and Basil Rice

The first time I made this dinner I was very skeptical.  I really wanted my kids to eat salmon but I wasn't sure that they would.  I had my back ups ready, but I didn't need them.  Mason and Gabby ate the salmon and rice really well.  The haricots verts were a different story but two out of three isn't bad, and I'll keep working on the green beans :)  This has become one of our favorite meals and a starter in our dinner line up.  Also, it's very easy to make this meal dairy and nut free - just leave out the dill sauce and pine nuts.  Another dairy free idea would be making the dill sauce with plain soy yogurt.  

La Recette:

4 - 6oz. salmon portions (I like fresh Atlantic Salmon)

1.5 cup rice (any kind will work- jasmine, basmati, etc...)

1/4 cup pine nuts toasted

1/3 cup fresh basil chopped

1 lb. hericots verts or green beans, blanched and shocked (I really like to buy the haricots verts from Trader Joes.  They are already cleaned and ready to cook)

2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar 

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Dill Tzatsiki Sauce:

1 cup of plain greek yogurt (I like Fage 2%)

1/2 english cucumber - seeds scraped and grated

2 Tablespoons fresh dill chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 teaspoons kosher 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

*I like to do the dill sauce the night before.  This way I have very little prep at dinner time.  

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  

-Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle the salmon front and back with extra virgin olive oil.  Just a light drizzle will do.  Next, sprinkle the salmon with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Don't be afraid to use a generous amount of salt.  Let the salmon sit in room temperature for about 20 minutes.  

-Bake for 8 minutes at 400.  If you have an extra piece of fish add 1-2 minutes tops to the cooking time.

-Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil.

-Once the water is boiling drop in the hericots verts and cook for about 5 minutes.  Then transfer them to a large bowl of ice.  This is blanching and shocking.  It stops the cooking and retains the beans vibrant green color.  

-Pour out the cooking water from the hericots verts and in the same pan cook the shallots with 1 Tablespoon the extra virgin olive oil.  Cook until slightly browned.  Next, add the 2 Tablespoons of champagne vinegar and scrape up any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Pour the ice water and hericots verts into a colander and transfer the beans back to the pan.  Sauté the beans for about 2 minutes, just to heat them through.  Again, season with salt and pepper to taste.

-While the beans are cooking, pour the rice into another saucepan with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cook until soft and let it cool slightly.  Add the toasted pine nuts and basil.    

Dill Tzatziki Sauce-

-Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix will until combined.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Serves 4

*I really like this dish with a glass of La Crema 2010 Chardonnay.  Delicious!