Salt and Pepper Salmon with Lemon Asparagus – Recipe!

I make salmon at least once a week because I love it so much.  There is something about this naturally buttery fish that I just can’t live without.  Salt and pepper – just two basic ingredients, along with a teaspoon of ginger, season this delightful Salt and Pepper Salmon with Roasted Lemon Asparagus recipe beautifully.

Salmon in the wintertime can sometimes be a bit of a challenge to find in some areas of the country, but there are always frozen varieties that taste pretty good.  Sockeye or Coho are two varieties of salmon that I often see in the frozen section, but if you can find some farmed fresh salmon from a good source, I would recommend it.  The thickness of salmon lends itself to a juicier piece of fish, so if the fish is on the thin side, cut down on cooking time, so it doesn’t dry out.

Roasted asparagus with lemon and a dusting of Parmesan is the perfect side dish to this salt and pepper fish dish.  I also served a little steamed rice on the side because I think fish and rice go so nicely together.

Ingredients

4 filets of salmon, about 6 ounces each

1 teaspoon grated ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon dry ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more for cooking

1/2 teaspoon salt + more for cooking

1/4 cup olive oil + more for cooking

1 bunch asparagus, about 1/2 pound

1 lemon, sliced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 scallions, sliced – optional

steamed rice, optional

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together ginger, black pepper, salt and olive oil.  Remove fish from any packaging and pat dry.  Place in bowl, coating both sides with marinade.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Trim asparagus ends and place on an oiled sheet pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place half lemon slices over asparagus on sheet pan.  Place asparagus in oven to roast for 12 minutes.
3. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, and drain marinade from bowl into pan.  After 2 minutes add salmon, face down into pan.  Cook for 4 minutes.  Turn heat to low, flip and cook skin side down for 5-8 minutes, depending upon thickness of fish.
4. Remove asparagus from oven and dust with Parmesan cheese.  Place salmon, rice and asparagus on plates.  Top with remaining lemon slices and scallions, if desired.  Enjoy!