I made a dish like this in 2004 for my then roommate, now husband. I’ve recently revived it by subbing in braised radishes for the potatoes. If you’re doing Paleo, it’s not strictly paleo friendly as made, as it’s got some vinegar and some mustard in it. We’re down with that variant, but I’m not your mom and I don’t know your life.
Citrus substitutes well for vinegars, as I’m sure you’re well aware. I also have started subbing in kale, as it’s heartier when braised. Kale needs to be cooked longer than spinach, once you make that adjustment, you’re good to go. The earthy flavor of kale offers a nice contrast to the sweetly sharp radishes. All of the components have a bit of bite.
- 1 1/2 lbs of radishes (about one bunch per person)
- 2T canola
- 4T extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 8oz skinless salmon filets (wild preferred, but thicker is better)
- 2c dry white wine
- 1/2 head large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced (I use a ceramic slicer)
- 1 1/2c chicken broth
- 2T chopped fresh parsley
- 2T good mustard
- 2T cider or white wine vinegar
- 2T olive oil
- 1 1/2lb kale (I used dinosaur kale for this one)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Trim and halve the radishes in an effort to make them the same size. Some will be left whole, some will be quartered. You know the drill by now. I used rainbow radishes, because they were the same price. There’s no real reason to spend extra money on the pretty colors for a braised dish. They all end up about the same shade of pink.
Heat the oil in a cast iron pan. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. When the cast iron is hot, sear the top (flat side up) about four minutes, and then flip and sear for about 2 more. Remove the salmon to a plate.
Add the radishes to the hot pan and brown the cut edges.
Meanwhile, combine wine, garlic and vinegar in a small saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1c (about seven minutes). Add broth, fresh herbs and mustard. Whisk and bring just to a boil.
Return the salmon to the pan with the radishes (you might have to move the radishes all to the sides and redistribute them to ensure a single layer), and pour the sauce over the top. Bake until cooked through, about ten minutes.
While the salmon is baking in the oven, heat up the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Start wilting the kale.
Divide the kale into shallow bowls. You can use plates, you just get less sauce. Figure out what’s important to you, and do that thing. Top with salmon and radishes, and spoon your preferred amount of sauce over. I’m not much of a sauce person, so I dress my dishes really lightly.
Enjoy!
Sous Vidas 