Simple Supper: Baked Copper River Salmon with Parsley Pesto

Ray & his twin brother Eric hate fish, so when I get a fish recommendation from one of them I really listen. Over dinner a few weeks ago Eric mentioned Copper River Salmon & how much he, to his surprise, enjoyed it. So, when I spotted some in the market I decided to give it a try. Not terribly different from other salmon varieties, this fish has a delicate texture & a fantastically vibrant red color. It tastes a little less "fishy" than other salmon & a bit more buttery. Paired with fresh bright green pesto this salmon really pops -- not to mention cooks up in under 30 minutes!

Baked Copper River Salmon with Parsley Pesto, for two

2 6 - 8 oz. copper river salmon fillets
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Parsley Pesto, makes about 2 cups
2 c. flat leaf parsley, stemmed
3/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. walnuts
1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking dish with foil & drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Rub the fillets with salt, pepper, olive oil & lemon juice. Bake the fish for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the fish is opaque.

While the fish is baking, combine all pesto ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor & pulse. Once combined, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while pulsing.

Once the fish is cooked through, top with a few spoonfuls of pesto. Reserve the remaining pesto for later dinners (try it with pasta, chicken, crostinis, etc.).

Kitchen to table time: 25 minutes