Salmon on Lemon Polenta with Vegetables

This meal works well if you have a grilling buddy to cook the salmon on the outdoor gas grill while you make polenta and vegetables in the kitchen. If you're the solo indoor cook (yay, you!), it's not that hard to accomplish alone, though your stovetop will be busy. Begin with cooking the polenta (see separate recipe below) and when it's turned down low to finish, sauté the vegetables--keeping everything warm once done. Grill the salmon and begin plating the sides while it rests. Do make sure you've got the table set and the wine opened before you begin :)

serves 4 (easily doubled)

Ingredients

Vegetables:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (or more as needed)
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch coins
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup diced red onion
4 oz large button mushrooms, quartered
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
crushed red pepper

Salmon and Polenta

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 (3-4 ounce) salmon fillets, with skin
3 cups (approx.) Alyce's Lemon Polenta for serving (see separate recipe below on blog)
fresh basil (+/or spinach) leaves for serving

Instructions

Cook the vegetables:

Place all of the vegetables in a large bowl and season well, tossing with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and add one tablespoon of the olive oil. Cook the zucchini in two batches -- one layer each, sautéing until browned on one side. Turn and cook the second side. Remove to the bowl. Repeat, adding a little more olive oil if needed. Drizzle in the second tablespoon of olive oil, and add the peppers, onions, and mushrooms, cooking and stirring regularly until vegetables are browned and nearly tender. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, and a pinch of crushed red pepper, cooking another minute or two. Tip the bowl of cooked zucchini back into the skillet, stir, and warm through. Cover to keep warm until needed.

Cook the salmon:

Heat a stovetop grill pan (or large heavy skillet) over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle the olive oil in a zig zag pattern in the general shape of one salmon fillet (about a tablespoons for each fillet); repeat for the other three, leaving a little space between them. Heat another minute.
Meanwhile, pat the salmon fillets dry all over with paper towels. Sprinkle liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place a sprig of rosemary on each oiled outline on the grill pan. Lay the fillets skin side down on the grill pan on the rosemary and cook without moving for 4 minutes. Carefully turn each fillet over using tongs (add rosemary to top of fish after turning) and cook another 3 minutes or 4 minutes depending on the weight of the fish. The salmon should be just firm but still moist at the center. (FDA indicates 145F on an instant read thermometer for fish. That fish is done! I like medium to medium-rare salmon, so I’d take them off at 125F and let the temperature rise a little as they rest.)
Remove fish and rosemary from grill and let rest a minute or two. If you have pan juices, drizzle them over the fish fillets.

PLATE AND SERVE:

Ladle about 3/4 cup cooked polenta into the center of each serving plate and smoosh a bit to spread. Add a salmon fillet with rosemary sprig to the center of the polenta and spoon the vegetables around the sides. Garnish with fresh basil +/or spinach leaves. Add another grind of fresh pepper over all. Serve hot or warm.