Our Light Sunday Dinner

Although it's really nice to spend all day cooking on Sunday, my husband just got back from India on Saturday and he had been eating very heavy, spicy food for a week. He was in the mood for something lighter and I felt like I hadn't had a proper piece of fish in a while, so we went grocery shopping to see what we could find.

We made our way to a large department store that sells just about any type of food you can think of and they have these wonderful counters for cheese, fresh pasta, seafood, meat, and even champagne. We approached the seafood counter and there was some beautiful wild salmon we couldn't pass up. It was definitely not the cheapest filet of fish we could have chosen, but it was totally worth it. The fish was beautiful bright pink and the flavor was intense and delicate. I was glad we paid the extra for it.

One of my favorite ways to do fish is quick, easy, and completely fail-proof. I wrap the filets in individual foil packages and bake it. This is super easy and the fish steams in the foil and the end result is perfectly cooked, flaky, tasty fish. Don't be afraid to cook fish, especially like this... it will turn out fantastic every time.

I made a quick polenta with goat cheese and dill to go along with it (I love fresh dill). It paired with the salmon really well and I think next time I'll even add a little bit more dill!

What's really nice about this meal is that it is completely doable on a weekday. It takes no time to put together, and who doesn't want a meal that takes about 30 minutes to prepare, but tastes like you spent an eternity in the kitchen?

Salmon Filet with Goat Cheese and Dill Polenta
Serves 2

For the Salmon
2 salmon filets (about 6-7 oz, each)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2-4 sprigs fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh dill
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

For the Polenta
2 servings polenta
3-4 oz soft goat cheese broken into small pieces
2 heaping tablespoons chopped, fresh dill
salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 375F.

Take a piece of foil that is large enough to hold 1 filet of fish and place 1 tablespoon of butter into the direct center of the foil.

Remove the fish from the fridge and place it skin side down.

Season it generously with salt and pepper.

Place one filet on the foil on top of the butter.

Place 1 sprig of rosemary. 1-2 sprigs of parsely, and 2 sprigs of dill on top of the fish. Squeeze half of a lemon over the herbs and fish.

Wrap up the fish, ensuring it's closed completely. Place the package on a baking sheet.

Prepare the other filet in the same way. Place the fish into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Prepare the polenta as directed on the package. I use quick polenta that can be prepared with boiling water from an electric kettle. Make the polenta the consistency you prefer.

Add the crumbled goat's cheese and mix thoroughly until everything is smooth and melted.

Chop the dill for the polenta.

Mix the polenta well and season with salt and pepper.

When the fish is finished, remove it from the oven and let it sit in the foil for 5 minutes.

Once the five minutes is finished, open the packages and remove the cooked herbs. Discard these because they've given up all of their flavor to the fish.

Plate the polenta and place the fish on top. Don't discard the lemon, butter, herb sauce! This stuff is delicious!

Carefully pour the butter sauce into a small serving dish and serve this on the side with the dish.

Put a little fresh dill on top of the salmon and serve. I made a few peas on the side to finish off the dish.

The fish was so flaky and tender, but not mushy. This was a perfect way to enjoy a light meal and spend a limited amount of time in the kitchen. Try this out... you can't go wrong with it!

Happy Eating!