Salmon Florentine

I’ve been enjoying a lot of Mediterranean dishes lately and dreaming of lying on a beach off the coast of Italy. When I saw that Sprouts (our local “farmer’s market”) had wild sockeye salmon on sale I knew it was time to make this Salmon Florentine recipe I had been eye-balling. Now I know sockeye salmon is mostly found in the Northern Pacific, and Florence is slightly far-off from the Mediterranean, but Tuscany is still teeming with those fresh local flavors like sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and this is a nice twist on the classic Chicken Florentine. It is the perfect summer dish, packed with flavor, yet still light and fresh. I served mine with parsley and lemon quinoa with pine nuts and a sprinkle of pecorino cheese. And if you’re looking for a grain-free, yet indulgent dessert, check out my Chocolate and Olive Oil Fig Cakes here! Ahh what I wouldn’t give to be sitting outside a Tuscan cafe right now…

Salmon Florentine (Adapted from SELF) (Difficulty-Easy; Serves 2) 

• 5 oz.  organic spinach
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. minced shallots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 c. cottage cheese
• 2-3 wild-caught skinless salmon fillets (4-6 oz each), rinsed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. Add spinach, tomatoes, salt, pepper flakes and pepper; cook, stirring until spinach is cooked through, 2-3 minutes more. Remove from heat; let cool about 15 minutes. Add cottage cheese; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Pack about 1/2 cup spinach mixture on top of each fillet, matching the shape of the fillet. Place fillets in a glass baking dish; bake until cooked through, 15 minutes.