WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Rich salmon and an earthy Swiss chard–lentil combo are brightened by sweet-tart pomegranate molasses and seeds in this satisfying and creative meal. Chard stems have great flavor, so we softened them with aromatics before simmering with the lentils, stirring in the chard leaves near the end of cooking. We painted the salmon with pomegranate molasses, and fresh pomegranate seeds stirred in at the end tied the dish together. To ensure uniform pieces of fish that cooked at the same rate, we found it best to buy a whole center-cut fillet and cut it ourselves. Be sure to purchase skin-on salmon; it helps the salmon hold together during cooking. If using wild salmon, which contains less fat than farmed, cook the fillets until they are 120 degrees. Pomegranate molasses can be found in the international aisle of well-stocked supermarkets; if you can’t find it, substitute 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon mild molasses. We prefer lentilles du Puy, also called French green lentils, for this recipe, but it will work with any type of lentil except red or yellow (note that cooking times will vary).
SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed, ½ cup stems chopped fine, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- Salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup lentilles du Puy, picked over and rinsed
- 1 (1½-pound) skin-on salmon fillet, 1 inch thick
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
INSTRUCTIONS:
- PREPARE THE LENTILS
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add chard stems, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and thyme sprigs and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in broth and lentils and bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are mostly tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
- ROAST THE SALMON
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and place an aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet on the rack.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
- Uncover lentils and stir in chard leaves.
- Increase heat to medium-low and cook until chard leaves are tender, about 4 minutes.
- Off heat, discard thyme sprigs.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper to taste; cover to keep warm.
- Cut salmon crosswise into 4 fillets and pat dry with paper towels.
- Brush with remaining 1 teaspoon oil, then brush with 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and season with salt and pepper.
- Once the oven reaches 500 degrees, reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees.
- Carefully place salmon skin-side down on the hot sheet and roast until the center is still translucent when checked with the tip of a paring knife and registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 6 minutes.
- FINISH AND SERVE
- Remove sheet from oven and brush salmon with remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses.
- Slide fish spatula along the underside of fillets and transfer to serving platter, discarding skin.
- Stir pomegranate seeds into lentil mixture and serve with salmon
