Featured Recipe
Balsamic Salmon with Lentils
By Kate
"
Salmon fillets pan-seared until golden, glazed with a reduced balsamic syrup. Served over green lentils simmered with smoky pancetta, shallots, and garlic. Lentils tender with a hit of mustard and a fresh pop of diced cherry tomatoes and chives. Balanced between acidity and richness. No skin on salmon for clean sear. Lentils soak up flavors, forming a hearty bed. Uses white balsamic vinegar for brightness. A side of sautéed green beans or broccolini recommended. A practical, flavor-forward dish, simple yet refined.
"
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Serves:
4 servings
salmon
lentils
dinner
healthy
French-inspired
Introduction
Pan-seared salmon. Glossy with a thick balsamic reduction that clings. Underneath, a bed of lentils that have soaked in smoky pancetta fat, softened by slow cooking and acid brightened with vinegar and mustard punch. The texture balance: firm flakes meet tender lentils studded with fresh tomatoes and chives, keeping it lively. White balsamic chosen, less aggressive than traditional dark; keeps salmon visually appealing and taste clean. Start with smoky, diced pancetta instead of ham — lends depth. Mustard grain for texture and a tangy edge. The dish demands attention for timing and heat control; splash too soon or too late, lose syrup body or crisp crust. Keep an eagle eye on sauce thickness – it’s the difference between slick and syrupy. Good fats in play — butter for nuttiness, olive oil for searing stability.
Ingredients
Lentils
- 40 ml (2 2/3 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 slice smoked pancetta about 5 mm thick, diced
- 2 small shallots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) white wine vinegar
- 20 ml (1 1/3 tbsp) whole grain mustard
- 900 ml (3 3/4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
- 260 ml (1 cup) Puy lentils
- 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes, drained
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh chives
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 700 g skinless salmon fillets cut into four portions
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil
- 45 ml white balsamic vinegar
- Fresh ground salt and pepper
Salmon
About the ingredients
Swap pancetta for smoked bacon if pancetta unavailable; just render carefully to avoid bitterness. Chicken stock can stand replaced by vegetable stock for a lighter touch. Use white balsamic vinegar wherever possible—traditional balsamic tends to oversweeten and darken the salmon glaze. If mustard grain unavailable, dijon works but with less texture. Tomatoes should be drained well, too much juice dilutes lentils. Scaling quantities up or down doesn’t drastically affect simmering times; just be vigilant on lentil texture. Salmon skin off; skin-on is fine but adjust cooking time for crisp skin and reduce skin-side searing time to avoid overcooking. Olive oil quality matters; a mid-fruity extra virgin works wonders. Butter should be cold before melting to avoid burning prematurely.
Method
Lentils
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium. Toss in diced pancetta first; you want it lightly crisped, but not burnt. Aromas should start to float out, a bit smoky. Add shallots; stir until translucent and glossy. Garlic goes in next, 30 seconds max, or it turns bitter. Season with salt, pepper. Splash in vinegar and swirl in mustard, coating everything. Add stock and lentils, bring to a simmer; no rolling boil. Cover loosely, let gently bubble for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the lentils yield when pierced but aren’t mushy. If stock is absorbed too quickly, add a splash of water but don’t drown the flavors. Once done, fold in tomatoes and fresh chives. Taste and adjust seasoning, but don’t over-salt.
- Bring a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Pat salmon dry; moisture is enemy of crispness. Melt butter with olive oil—two fats working in tandem for flavor and browning. Place salmon skinless side down (presentation side) first; a golden crust should form in about 3-4 minutes. Flip carefully. Salt and pepper now. After the second side is nearly done, pour in balsamic vinegar. It will hiss and steam; reduce heat slightly. Keep swirling the pan so vinegar thickens into a syrup, about 2-3 minutes. This isn’t a quick glaze—snob tip: use white balsamic for less aggressive acidity and color contrast. When syrup coats both sides, remove salmon.
- Return salmon to pan briefly, spooning glaze over fillets aggressively. Rest a minute off heat to let carryover cooking finish and juices redistribute. Fish should flake gently under pressure, moist but done.
- Plate lentils hot, mound salmon on top. Drizzle any remaining syrup from pan over everything. Accompany with charred or steamed greens—broccolini or haricots verts work well. A squeeze of lemon won’t hurt if balsamic feels heavy.
- Serve immediately.
Salmon
Technique Tips
Lentils require a gentle simmer to avoid breaking apart. Beware over boiling – adds starch cloudiness and mush. The pancetta fat renders slowly; if you rush, the lardons remain tough. Use visual cues: shallots are done when translucent, garlic fragrant but not browned, a sign of bitterness. Vinegar and mustard induce emulsification—take care to stir well after adding liquids but do not boil hard to keep texture. Salmon needs to sizzle, not steam; heat your pan properly and avoid overcrowding. If fish sticks, the pan isn’t hot enough or fish too wet. Balsamic reduction thickens when it coats the back of a spoon; watch carefully to prevent caramelizing to burnt. Spoon glaze over fish repeatedly for a shiny coat. Rest fish briefly; juices settle, flesh firms to perfect flake. Serve hot, no lingering plate time to prevent sauce drying.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Pat salmon dry. Key to crispness. Too much moisture - a no-go. Melting butter, olive oil together, they create a flavorful base. Monitor time carefully.
- 💡 Smoky pancetta flavor. Render it well. Don’t rush. Out too soon, won’t be crispy. Check shallots – translucent? Garlic goes in last, only 30 seconds.
- 💡 Watch the lentils. Gentle simmer they need. If boiling hard, disaster looms – mushy lentils lose all integrity. Splash water if stock's too thick.
- 💡 Vinegar add last minute. Creates phase shift – flavors pop! Mustard in too, swirl it for emulsification, but no boiling. Just gentle heat.
- 💡 Rest salmon after cooking. Let it sit. Juices redistribute, key for flaky texture. Coating syrupy glaze, glossy finish. Keep a lemon close.
