Herb-crusted salmon with slaw

Simple, soulful meals are the most satisfying. I love taking it slow and laid back in the kitchen sometimes. Baked salmon with some light, crunchy salad, and a creamy dip happen to be one of my favorite meals that hardly needs much work.  The crust uses fresh herbs and nuts as a base. It creates a color contrast that looks gorgeous with a pink base and green surface. I added more to this color palette with the purple cabbage slaw. 

Honestly, salmon requires less attention during prep than any fish. 

I enjoyed this meal all alone, sitting quietly in the corner. That ambiance made a lot of difference. I had the time to do some mindful eating, savor each morsel as I always tend to rush through my meals.

When I am shooting my food, I focus more on getting the right picture, and the food turns cold. Shooting my food has almost become a habit, that occasionally when I cook up something interesting, I force myself to eat and forget styling. Do you face the dilemma, whether to shoot or enjoy the moment?

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 5-6 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• Salmon 300 gms
• Dijon mustard 1 tsp
• Lemon juice 1 tsp
• Olive oil 1 tsp
• Salt and pepper

Herb crust

• Bread crumbs 25 gms
• Pistachios 15-20 gms
• Parsley 50 gms
• Thyme 1 tbsp
• Rosemary 1 tbsp (chopped)
• Mint leaves 25 gms
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

Dip

• Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp
• Mayonnaise 1tbsp
• Greek yogurt 1/2 cup
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika 1/4 tsp

Cabbage slaw

• Cabbage ¼th cabbage head
• 1tbsp of the above dip

Method:

• Preheat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes. In the meantime, pat dry the salmon,  add seasonings, olive oil, and lemon juice.
• Rub evenly and place the salmon fillet on a baking tin/tray skin side down. Apply the dijon mustard and massage. 
• Blend the ingredients required for the herb crust to get an even green color. Slowly sprinkle the crust and cover the top. Bake for 5-6 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes.
• Whisk together the ingredients for the dip. Chop the cabbage as evenly and thin as possible. Toss it with 1 tbsp of the dip. Serve it with the warm salmon and dip on the side.