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    Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

    Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce

    Modified: Jan 18, 2024 · Published: Sep 30, 2015 by Ashley

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    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review

    This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield and Bob's Red Mill. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

    Crispy fried shallots are the perfect topping for this tender, flaky seafood meal.

    A photo posted by Ashley Covelli (@bigflavors) on Jul 27, 2015 at 2:48pm PDT

    I love a good lentil dish, but for some reason, I don't cook with them nearly as often as I should! So when Bob's Red Mill send over a bag of their red lentils and a bag of orca beans, I was excited to get cookin'!

    The inspiration for this dish initially came from thinking about how well smoked salmon goes with cream cheese, dill, capers and lemon.

    I don't eat smoked salmon too often, but I love cooking with beautiful, thick salmon fillets. If you cook them just right, they're flaky and elegant, and can be enhanced by such a wide range of sauces, seasonings and flavors.

    Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce

    For the salmon itself, I left it simple. Just salt and pepper. I like to let the salmon sit on the counter for a few minutes before I start cooking it to take the chill off. I then pat it dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper before searing it in a hot skillet.

    My husband absolutely loves crispy salmon skin. He calls it the bacon of the salmon. I usually take a bite or 2 of mine and then let him have the rest. It's a treat that we don't have too often, and it's one of his favorite things!

    Cooking some aromatics in the saucepan before adding the lentils and stock is a great way to boost the flavor for the base of this dish. I used vegetable stock here, but feel free to use chicken stock or even water if you don't have any stock handy.

    Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce

    For the shallots, I had some Wondra Quick-Mixing flour leftover from a pork dish I made a few weeks ago, so I used that to coat them before frying. I'm sure regular flour or rice flour would work just fine, too. It added a nice bit of texture to the dish, and made it look more elegant.

    I love the tanginess of Greek yogurt, and the addition of dill, capers and lemon gave it a really fun flavor boost that went beautifully with the other flavors in this dish.

    My husband and I both absolutely loved this meal. It seems like a lot of components, but it really wasn't too difficult. Each component comes together pretty easily, and you can work on some parts while other parts finish cooking. This is definitely one I'll be making again!

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    2 bowls of Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce.

    Crispy Skinned Salmon Over Red Lentils with Caper Dill Yogurt Sauce

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American
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    Description

    Crispy skinned salmon atop creamy lentils is one of the best bowls you can have! I love the flavors, they really bring the meal together.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the lentils:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 shallot, finely chopped (about 2-3 tablespoons)
    • Pinch of red pepper flakes
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 cup dried red lentils, sorted and rinsed (I used Bob's Red Mill)
    • 3 cups vegetable stock

    For the sauce:

    • ¾ cup fat free Greek yogurt (I used Stonyfield)
    • 1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped (I used nonpareil)
    • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

    For the crispy shallots:

    • 3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
    • 3 tablespoons flour (I used Wondra Quick-Mixing)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 shallot, sliced into thin rings (about 2-3 tablespoons)

    For the salmon:

    • 2-3 tablespoons peanut oil
    • 4 salmon fillets, skin on (about 1 ½ pounds total), pat dry
    • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

    For garnish:

    • Lemon wedges
    • Dill sprigs

    Instructions

    1. For the lentils: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir and smash it around with your spoon until it mixes into the shallot and garlic pieces well and starts to cook. Add lentils and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to keep the lentils covered during the cooking time.
    2. For the sauce: Combine yogurt, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
    3. For the crispy shallots: While the lentils are cooking, heat peanut oil in large, non-stick skillet over moderate heat. Place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Toss the shallot rings in the seasoned flour to coat well. Once oil is hot, shake excess flour off of shallots and place them in the oil to cook, flipping occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. You may need to do this in batches so the pan doesn't get too crowded. Once crispy, remove shallots to a paper towel lined plate. Wipe out the pan.
    4. For the salmon: In the same pan that you fried the shallots in, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season both sides well with salt and pepper. Place the salmon in the pan, skin-side down, and let cook for 2-3 minutes, flip, and continue cooking for another minute or two - until the salmon reaches your desired degree of doneness.
    5. To serve: Divide lentils between 4 wide bowls or plates. Top each with a salmon fillet (skin side up), a dollop of sauce and a pile of crispy shallots. Garnish with lemon wedges and additional sprigs of dill. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Crispy fried shallots are the perfect topping for this tender, flaky seafood meal.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 939
    • Sugar: 4.1 g
    • Sodium: 950.8 mg
    • Fat: 40.5 g
    • Saturated Fat: 6.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 42.7 g
    • Fiber: 6.4 g
    • Protein: 104.5 g
    • Cholesterol: 203.6 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

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    Want to win a pack of red lentils and orca beans from Bob's Red Mill, along with a stash of Stonyfield yogurt coupons? To enter to win, leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to use lentils or beans. The contest will close on Friday, October 9, 2015 at 12 noon (Eastern Standard Time). One winner will be chosen via random.org and will be contacted via email to get mailing information. Prize will be shipped by the sponsor. U.S. residents only. Good luck, everyone!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy (Savory Moments)

      September 30, 2015 at 6:27 am

      This is such a nice dish. Hearty yet elegant!

      Reply
    2. Chrisy Elliott

      September 30, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      This is such an interesting flavor combo. Sort of the best of both worlds, and a perfect fit for the tastes in this house 😀

      Reply
    3. Joanie@Zagleft

      September 30, 2015 at 3:17 pm

      I absolutely love lentils and what a great idea to pair them with salmon. Looks delicious!!

      Reply
    4. dinnerthendessert

      October 01, 2015 at 2:24 am

      I need to start cooking more fish! My husband doesn't love it but I miss it a lot!

      Reply
    5. Cheryl

      October 01, 2015 at 5:41 am

      My favorite way to use lentils or beans is in soup.

      Reply
    6. betsy

      October 01, 2015 at 3:10 pm

      Love to use lentils in a smoked turkey lentil soup.

      Reply
    7. Dandi D

      October 02, 2015 at 5:21 am

      I like to add lentils to sloppy joe meat and beans to taco meat to make them go farther.

      Reply
    8. Joan Kubes

      October 03, 2015 at 12:21 am

      I love to use lentils and beans in many soup recipes. My favorite is chile.

      Reply
      • BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen

        October 09, 2015 at 1:50 pm

        Congrats, Joan! You've been selected as the winner. I'll be emailing you shortly for mailing info so your prize pack can be sent. Enjoy!

        Reply
    9. Laura

      October 06, 2015 at 6:39 pm

      Not very creative, but love my lentil veggie soup!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

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