A Crunchy Twist on Salmon & Slaw

Nov 18

Some dinners come together with such ease, yet feel comforting and a little special — this salmon and slaw is exactly that. The sheet-pan salmon stays tender, the slaw brings a bright crunch, and the Honey Cardamom Granola adds a lovely, unexpected finish.

These flavors pair beautifully with a few of my favorite wines: a dry Gewürztraminer for its gentle spice, a dry Riesling for crisp balance, or a lighter Pinot Noir if you prefer red.

Prepared salmon filet on top a bed of Asian Slaw topped with Peggy Bakes honey cardamom granola

Easy Sheet-Pan Salmon

I tend to enjoy salmon most with Asian-inspired flavors, and have discovered that my Honey Cardamom Granola is a delicious topping and texture for the salmon (after it’s cooked). While this is for baked salmon, this recipe also works well for pan-seared or grilled salmon.

4 Servings

Ingredients

3T Toasted sesame oil
2T Tamari (or Soy)
1T Rice vinegar
1T Honey (Hot honey if you prefer)
1T finely-grated fresh ginger
1 finely-grated garlic clove
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for brushing salmon)
Kosher flake salt (I prefer Diamond Crystal)
Freshly-ground black pepper
½ C Peggy Bakes Honey Cardamom Granola, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425.
Whisk together the sesame oil, tamari, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.
Thoroughly dry salmon fillets with paper towels.
Brush fillets with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place salmon fillets on a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush on the marinade, generously.
Roast until salmon fillets read 125 degrees (medium rare) in the center – about 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the fillets. Cook a bit longer if you prefer.
Sprinkle the granola on top of the baked salmon and serve.

Simple Asian Slaw

I always have a head of cabbage in my refrigerator as I haven’t met a slaw that I didn’t like (well, maybe those prepared with a lot of sugar!), and it keeps so well for snacking the whole week as I try to get more vegetables and fiber. Why does protein need to get all of the attention? ☺️ I like to make simple, clean slaw – and similar to salmon, I love the Asian notes of this one that pairs so well with a topping of Honey Cardamom Granola for great taste and texture.

4 servings

Ingredients

½ medium head of cabbage (green or red – both are delicious)
Kosher flake salt (I prefer Diamond Crystal)
2t Tamari (or Soy)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, sliced into thin ribbons (with a peeler)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 C frozen edamame
¼ C lime juice
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1t finely grated ginger
½ C Peggy Bakes Honey Cardamom Granola, for serving

Instructions

Discarding the core, thinly slice cabbage (when I’m making for a crowd I like to do a quick run through my food processor with the thin-slice blade. It’s a time saver and is able to create a great thin slice that I can’t replicate by hand).
Place sliced cabbage in a colander and season with 1t Kosher Salt and 2t Tamari. Toss and set aside to “sweat” for 25 minutes.
In a small bowl, toss the sliced onion with the lime juice. Let sit for 25 min. (I always let raw onions “macerate” before adding them to a salad. It really mellows them out).
Boil frozen edamame per package instructions, and prepare the dressing (recipe below) while cabbage and onions rest.
After 25 minutes, give the cabbage a final squeeze (it will feel wet, but may not have expelled much water – that’s OK). Add to a medium bowl along with the drained onions (saving lime juice), garlic, scallions, carrots, red pepper, edamame, and ginger. Toss well to combine.
Add the dressing, toss, and adjust seasoning – adding salt and/or the reserved lime juice.
Top with Honey Cardamom Granola

This slaw will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (but only add granola topping to the slaw you’re immediately consuming — otherwise it will get soggy in the refrigerator).