CK's Kitchen: Garlic butter baked salmon a tasty catch

Forget chicken wings, greasy pizza, creamy dips and Lil' Smokies creatively rolled and wrapped, my Super Bowl Sunday dinner was not going to be a linebacker special or a game-time decision. It was going to be this fabulous garlic butter salmon that I had been craving since a friend made this for me before the holidays. The next best thing would be to make it for myself, right? It's the whole teach a woman to fish thing. If you cook a woman fish for dinner, she has one meal. If you teach her to cook her own fish, she has fish dinners for life. Well, that meant this independent fish-lady had to motor to Heinen's and net her ingredients, and that included reeling in fresh parsley, garlic, asparagus, fancy potatoes and a jar of stonewall kitchen lemon herb aioli — but more on that catch later. Oh, the puns! Four fillets freezing Lucky for me, I found the perfect four portions of wild-caught salmon sitting in the kitchen freezer. So while that defrosted, I headed out for my errands. The Super Bowl is clearly one of the hungriest days because the grocery store parking lot doesn't lie. I imagine all those pandemic dieters and food deniers from a dry and starving January were more than ready to splurge on some high-calorie goodies, too. And with another six weeks of winter ahead of us thanks to the groundhog, who cares anyway?! I finally made my way home after a long browsing trip at Marshall's, which was dead because everyone was home mixing buffalo chicken dip in the slow cooker or creating the most enviable charcuterie board they would later post on social media to make their friends drool with envy. It was time for me to start chopping up veggies and get my sheet pan of deliciousness into the oven. Garlic, garlic and more garlic My potatoes were on the smaller side so I only baked them about eight to 10 minutes before filling my sheet pan with the beautiful array of salmon fillets and thick, woody asparagus — all dressed in copious amounts of freshly minced garlic, parsley, and melted butter and garlic. Starving, I was grateful this recipe only required another 10 minutes in the oven. I opted not to broil it but I wouldn't mind trying it next time. For me, the salmon was cooked well, perhaps even a bit beyond the medium I prefer. It's tough with thinner, wider fillets and I would take that into consideration when you make it. The final result was everything I had been craving — buttery garlic salmon with a lemon twist along with side dishes that never disappoint — al dente asparagus and crispy potatoes. Served with a dollop of lemon herb aioli, wow, just wow! You will never want to eat fish without it, I promise you. All that said, I must admit, the garlic butter salmon tasted better the first time I enjoyed it, when all I had to do was sip a lovely glass of wine and eat. But making this recipe is a restaurant-quality meal that will either impress your guests, family or one that I know I'm happy to eat all week! Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Garlic butter baked salmon 1 pound (500 g) fingerling potatoes, halved (or Yukon golds or halved white/red baby potatoes) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, divided 4 (6 oz | 170 g) skinless salmon fillets 2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter 3 bunches asparagus, (18 spears, woody ends removed) 2 tablespoons dry white wine (substitute with 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth) 1 lemon sliced to garnish 1. Heat oven to 400°F | 200°C. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together potatoes with the oil, 1/2 tablespoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread out in an even layer and roast for 15 minutes until they're just starting to soften and brown. 2. Push potatoes to one side of the sheet pan and arrange salmon down the centre. Rub salmon evenly with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of parsley. Add the asparagus to the other side of the pan. 3. Combine 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the melted butter together and pour the mixture over the salmon and asparagus. Season everything with the remaining salt and pepper. 4. Return to oven and continue baking until the potatoes are golden and fork-tender and the salmon is opaque throughout, (about 10 minutes). Optional: broil in the last 2 minutes for charred edges. 5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining butter, garlic and lemon juice with the wine (or chicken stock). Serve with the salmon, veggies and lemon slices! Makes: 4 servings Nutrition Facts: Calories: 513kcal; Carbohydrates: 19g; Protein: 37g; Fat: 38g (Saturated Fat: 15g); Cholesterol: 154mg; Sodium: 970mg; Potassium: 1549mg; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 2g; Vitamin A: 1450IU; Vitamin C: 43.9mg; Calcium: 101mg; Iron: 6.9mg.