Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with lentils

• servings: 4
• active time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cold-pressed 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

2 garlic clove, minced

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup lentilles du Puy, picked over and rinsed

4 (4- to 6-ounce) skin-on wild-caught salmon fillet, 1 inch thick

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

½ cup pomegranate seeds

Directions

1

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chard stems, onion, garlic, thyme, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and lentils and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are mostly tender, 45 to 50 minutes. (20-25 mins for half serving)

2

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Uncover lentils and stir in chard leaves. Increase heat to medium-low and continue to 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.

3

Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Brush with remaining 1 teaspoon oil, then brush with 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and season with salt and pepper. Once oven reaches 500 degrees, reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Remove sheet from oven, carefully place salmon skin-side down on hot sheet. Roast until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 120 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 6 minutes. (Or 15 minutes for more well done)

4

Brush salmon with remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Slide fish spatula along underside of fillets and transfer to individual plates or serving platter; discard skin. Stir pomegranate seeds into lentil mixture and serve with salmon.

Notes

America's Test kitchen

Skin-on salmon holds together best during cooking, and the skin helps keep the fish moist. If your salmon is less than 1 inch thick, start checking for doneness early. If using farmed salmon, cook until thickest part registers 125 degrees.

Lentilles du Puy, also called French green lentils, are our first choice, but brown, black, or regular green lentils will work (cooking times will vary).