Ever have a friend who finds little ways to make life easier? She offers clever asides or makes astute observations that result in why-didn’t-I-think-of-that moments. The cookbook “Prep and Rally” by Dini Klein delivers that same feeling: Here’s someone who not only gets it, but wants to help you get it, too.
Salmon gets the hasselback treatment in this easy, weeknight dish
active time:20 mins
total time:35mins
Servings:4
I found myself nodding and saying “so smart” as I flipped through her cookbook filled with organizing tips, detailed grocery lists, and specific food prep and cooking advice designed to help busy home cooks like Klein, a trained chef and working mother of three, get dinner on the table without sacrificing fun and flavour.
The book mirrors what Klein offers through her Prep + Rally family meal plan service. The gist: Pick four dishes to cook, make a solid grocery list, then spend an hour or so on one day (maybe Sunday) making sauces, sides and recipe building blocks so you can then quickly throw together dinner Monday through Thursday.
Even if, like me, you don’t feel the need to completely revamp your cooking habits, her cookbook delivers something you probably do want: fast, make-ahead recipes that don’t feel like retreads.
This hasselback salmon is my favorite example from the book. I chose this recipe from among the many tasty options because as much as I love salmon, I sometimes find myself falling back on buying fillets, pan searing them, and drizzling them with olive oil and lemon. Tasty, but sigh.
This one offered something differently delicious, but still quite simple. And you can assemble it the day before, wrap it up nice and tight in the fridge and bake it for 30 minutes the next night.
What’s fun about it? Rather than buying individual fillets, you get yourself a 2-pound slab of the fish. Then you hasselback it. That is, you take a sharp knife and make two rows of horizontal slits and one long slits down the center, using care not to cut through the skin underneath. Then you sprinkle it with garlicky parmesan breadcrumbs, tucking those savory bits in the slits.
The fish is drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice before it is slipped in the oven to crisp and turn golden. The fatty fish and cheese create a dish that is quite rich, so Klein serves it with a bright, clean-tasting chimichurri-style vinaigrette that can also be made a day or two ahead.
And the final little nugget that made me smile: Klein lightly oil broccoli florets on another baking sheet and tucks that into the oven in the last 15 minutes of cooking time to create a full meal. While the food is cooking, you can toss together a green salad, if you feel like it.
But Klein wasn’t finished. Don’t want the cheese or just want a variation? She recommends spreading a thin layer of honey mustard on the salmon before adding the breadcrumbs for a twist.
This dish, which got raves from my colleagues, is definitely now on my weeknight rotation, but it also might just become my next casual dinner-party main dish. It’s that pretty and that tasty. Try it.
Make Ahead: The fish can be sliced and seasoned, tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day in advance before baking.
Storage: Refrigerate the cooked fish for up to 2 days and the chimichurri vinaigrette for up to 3 days (the vinaigrette may lose its color).
NOTES: To make roasted broccoli or cauliflower to go along with the fish, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Arrange 1 pound (about 5 cups) of broccoli or cauliflower florets on the pan, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the broccoli in a single layer and lightly season with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to the oven about 15 minutes before the salmon is supposed to be done and roast until the vegetables have softened slightly and begin to crisp on top. Serve with lemon wedges and grated parmesan on the side, if desired.
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- One (2-pound) skin-on fillet of salmon, bones removed
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or more as needed) or cooking spray
- 1 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, leaves and
