Summer Salmon

Greetings! I am in the middle of vacation but I definitely couldn’t wait to share this with you.  I promised you a new salmon recipe and here it is!  Granted, it is not the prettiest dish I ever made but what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in taste.

And now.  Heed my words!  The most important part of this recipe is the tomatoes.  DO NOT FORGET THIS!  If you make this dish with tasteless, crunchy, mealy tomatoes from the grocery store, it will be good but nothing really all that special. You may not even really like it.  If you make it with real tomatoes, as in tomatoes grown in your own backyard or from the Farmer’s market, you will be emailing me messages of joy!  Real tomatoes that have grown in the sun and hung on the vine until juicy and ripe!  These are the tomatoes you need!  I have tried this both ways and cannot stress it enough.  Use good tomatoes!

That said, the freshness of this meal and the fact that it is so light and healthy, help make it particularly enjoyable during the summer months.  Add some whole wheat couscous or brown rice and steamed asparagus or quickly sauted zucchini and you have got yourself a truly spectacular meal.
One Year Ago: Baked Pasta W/Summer Veggies, Keebler Cracker Bars, & Cocoa Cake
Two Years Ago: Jane’s Margaritas, June Bug, Herbal Iced Tea, BBQ Pulled Pork

Summer Salmon
Inspired by Eating Well

1 salmon fillet per person, skin on, small bones removed
1 tomato per person, sliced
minced garlic
fresh chopped basil
olive oil
salt and pepper

On a large sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper-I use a double layer of foil-lay a salmon fillet skin side down. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil, some of the garlic, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and about a teaspoon of fresh basil.  Slice a tomato, discarding the stem ends and lay the slices on top of the fish.  Repeat with the seasonings, being a bit more generous with the olive oil this time.  Bring up the sides of the foil or paper and fold and crease it together, leaving some space above the fish.  Fold up and seal the ends.  Repeat process for each serving.  Place fish packets on the rack of a grill over medium low heat.  You want to cook the fish, but not scorch it.  Close the lid and let the fish cook for about fifteen minutes, or until the fish is just barely cooked through.  Alternatively, you can bake the packets of fish in a 350 degree oven.  Be very careful when opening the packets!  Steam burns.  Use a spatula to lift the fish off the skin and place on a plate.  Enjoy!