Microgreen Watermelon Radish Salad Over Oven Baked Salmon

Perfectly cooked oven salmon topped with light but flavorful microgreens tossed in a honey dijon vinaigrette with thinly sliced watermelon radish. 

You know you should be eating more fish in your diet, right? So why aren't you? For me, it's boredom (you didn't think I was going to exclude myself, did you?). I know with chicken or beef I can play with a ton of flavors and sides and cuts, but when it comes to a beautiful piece of salmon, I'm less adventurous. A shame to be sure, since I logically know fish, salmon included, can be paired with hundreds of sides, flavors and methods of cooking. And yet, here we are. I let fish be fish and let delicate flavors rein. I also like to spend Friday nights at home drinking wine with Chris and the cats so, go figure. 

When I finally do buy a beautiful salmon I go to what I know: those damn delicate flavors. Citrus. Vinegars. Vegetables. Just when you think you're ready to live on the edge and be adventurous, the next thing you know you're making the most precious salad possible of infant produce and pink and green radishes. But it works. It just works and sometimes it's okay to play it safe and embrace what you know. 

The salmon is baked in the oven with salt and pepper on top. They key is to not over-bake, and don't you worry we'll talk about how you can avoid that below. The salmon is topped with the side: microgreens of all sorts (that pack a punchy flavor including baby fennel!) and thinly sliced watermleon radish tossed in a dijon honey vinaigrette. 

- Light but comforting -

MICROGREEN Watermelon radish salad over oven baked salmon

Ingredients

• 1, roughly 6-8 oz salmon
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 small watermelon radish
• 3 cups loosely packed microgreens (like baby kale or fennel)

dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon whole grain dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

To cook salmon, pat dry with a paper towel and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and use a pastry brush or your hands to cover the entire fish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 F or until the fish flakes easily with a fork, or an internal temp thermometer reads 145 F. 

Note: the thermometer is my method of choice. Our thermometer is a Thermapen instant read and we love it! Don't buy it on Amazon- get it direct from the supplier- it's much less expensive. 

While the fish is cooking, whisk dressing ingredients together with a whisk or a fork. Use a mandolin slicer and thinly slice the watermelon radish into discs. Place in a stack and cut into quarters. Add microgreens and radish to a large bowl and toss with dressing, reserving 1/4 of the dressing for the top of the salmon.

To plate, add salad on top of and surrounding salmon.