Crusted salmon with wild rice and kale
Something about using the word "crusted" in any recipe title bothers me. It turns me off to the food immediately. It makes me think of unpleasant things. Crusty things. And I don't mean yummy bread with a really great crust on it. But for lack of a better title, that's what we get. This started as a healthy cooking reicpe that changed drastically in my hands. The original called for Corn Flakes and wanted to be baked and served over spinach. I had panko and kale and a strong desire to play with wild rice, so this is what I made. We all really enjoyed it.
Crusted salmon over wild rice and kale
Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cooking Time: 30 min
Ingredients for salmon:
● 1 lb salmon
● 2 tbsp. honey
● 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
● 1/4 cup panko
● 2 tbsp. sliced almonds
● 2 tbsp. chopped pecans
● 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
Ingredients for wild rice and kale:
● 1 cup wild rice, uncooked
● 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (divided)
● 1 tbsp. olive oil
● 1 small onion, diced
● 2 cloves garlic, minced
● 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
● 1 pinch raw sugar
● 1 tbsp. cider vinegar
● 1 bunch stemmed, torn and rinsed kale
● 1/4 cup dried cranberries
● salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Begin with wild rice. Bring 2 cups broth and the rice to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 50 minutes.
2. For salmon, combine honey and mustard. Remove 2 tablespoons mixture and brush over salmon. Run the cornflakes, almonds and pecans in a food processor until roughly ground. Press onto salmon. Stir mayonnaise into remaining honey mixture and refrigerate until serving. Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 18-22 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
3. For Kale, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard, sugar, vinegar, 1 cup broth, and cranberries and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries are soft. Add the kale and wild rice and cook, stirring to coat, for 5 minutes or until wilted. Top with salmon and drizzle with reserved honey mustard sauce.