Mangia by Pia

It's Not All About the Food

Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill Sauce

Ina Garten – Serves 4

Salmon baked inside of parchment paper with lemon is one of my favorites. It is delicious, fast, and healthy. The parchment paper creates a sealed envelope that traps moisture and flavor. The dill sauce works to complement the salmon and imparts a tangy lightness to the dish.  

In June 2015, after 38 years of service, I retired from the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. My friend Cathy Jablonsky planned a retirement party. My only request was that I wanted to cook the meal. My idea was that part of this celebration was to give thanks to all the people who were instrumental in the success of my projects, such as the Mariachi Festival, Riverside Arts Academy, and art installations at Dales Senior Center. 

We were inviting classmates from North High School, my family, all my coworkers and the guest list grew to about 70 people. I wanted to make something for a large crowd that did not sacrifice quality and flavor. This salmon dish was perfect because of its quickness to make, and I felt it reflected my cooking style and love of California Cuisine. Needless to say, it was a hit. 

Ingredients for salmon

  • 6 Salmon filets (6 oz)
  • 1 T Olive oil
  • 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 T Lemon juice
  • ¼  C Dill, minced
  • ¼ C Parsley, minced
  • ¼ C White wine (I use Vermouth)
  • ½ t Crushed red pepper
  • 2 Parchment paper (two sheets, about 12-inch-long pieces)
  • 3 Lemons (zest and juice one, slice the other two)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Ingredients for sauce

  • ½ C Mayonnaise
  • ½ C Sour cream
  • ½ C Plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 T Cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ C Chopped scallions, white and green parts (four scallions)
  • ½ C Minced fresh dill
  • ¼ C Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 t Grated lemon zest
  • 2 T Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 C Seeded, grated hothouse cucumber

Directions for salmon

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
  • In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, dill, garlic, zest, and juice of one lemon and crushed red peppers. 
  • Slice the remaining two lemons into ¼ inch slices.
  • Lay one sheet of parchment paper onto a baking sheet with a rim. Place salmon filets, skin side down, on the top of the parchment paper.  Using a brush, disperse the olive oil mixture evenly over the tops of the salmon until they are coated.  
  • Then season the tops with salt and pepper before adding the disks of lemon. Pour wine around filets.
  • Place the other sheet of parchment paper over the top and fold up the sides to create a packet for the salmon to cook in. Place the baking sheet with the salmon into the oven and bake for 20 minutes (done when fish reaches 125 degrees F).

Directions for dill sauce

  • Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, two teaspoons salt, and one teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. 
  • Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. 
  • Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.