Baked Salmon with Lentils & Spinach

45 min · Easy · Serves 1

680 kcal per serving · 47g protein

A French bistro pairing that is about as nourishing as dinner gets: salmon baked simply, on a bed of lentils warmed with shallot, carrot, mustard and a little vinegar, with spinach wilted through at the end. The lentils simmer while the oven does the fish, so both are ready together. Mustard and vinegar are what stop lentils tasting flat.

Ingredients

• 60 g Green or brown lentils (dry)
• 1 leaf Bay leaf
• 140 g Salmon fillet
• 1 tsp Olive oil, for the salmon
• 1 g Salt, for the salmon
• 0.5 g Black pepper
• 2 tsp Olive oil, for the lentils
• Shallot, finely chopped × 1
• Carrot, in small dice × 1
• 1 clove Garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Red wine vinegar
• 2 g Salt, for the lentils
• 80 g Fresh spinach
• 4 g Fresh parsley, chopped
• 5 ml Lemon juice

Method

1. Simmer the lentils

   

   Put the lentils and bay leaf in a pot with plenty of unsalted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Drain the lentils and discard the bay leaf.

2. Bake the salmon

   

   While the lentils simmer, heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), set the salmon fillet on a lined baking tray, rub with the olive oil for the salmon, the salt for the salmon and the black pepper, and bake for 12 minutes, until the salmon flakes and is opaque at the centre.

3. Soften the shallot and carrot

   

   Heat the olive oil for the lentils in a pan over medium heat, add the chopped shallot and diced carrot and cook for 4 minutes until soft, then stir in the crushed garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Season the lentils

   

   Add the drained lentils, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and the salt for the lentils to the pan and stir for 2 minutes, until the lentils are hot and glossy.

5. Wilt in the spinach

   

   Fold the spinach through the hot lentils for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted.

6. Plate the salmon on the lentils

   

   Spoon the lentils and spinach onto a plate, set the salmon fillet on top and finish with the chopped parsley and lemon juice.