Recipe: Slow Roasted “Smashed” Salmon with Citrus, Chilies, and Fennel

Slow Roasted “Smashed” Salmon with Citrus, Chilies, and Fennel

Ingredients:

• 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 navel orange, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 1 lemon, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 4 dried chile de arbol (you can also use fresh fresno chile, however, if you do, the heat will last longer, using dried makes a nice bite that fades quickly)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Kosher salt, coarsely ground pepper
• 1 2-pound skinless salmon fillet, preferably center-cut
• 3/4 cup evoo
• Sea Salt to taste
• Ground Black pepper to taste
• 1 lb Fresh Asparagus, washed and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon evoo

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with foil, and place asparagus on top and drizzle with oil. Roast for 15-20 until deep green and tender. Do not worry about seasoning, the “broth” from the salmon will impact plenty of flavor
2. Reduce oven to 275°F. Toss fennel, orange slices, lemon slices, chile, and 4 dill sprigs in a shallow 3-quart baking dish; season with kosher salt and pepper. Season salmon with kosher salt and place on top of fennel mixture. Pour oil over. (For a richer flavor, top the salmon with a few patties of butter)
3. Roast until salmon is just cooked through (the tip of a knife will slide through easily and flesh will be slightly opaque), 30–40 minutes for medium-rare.
4. Transfer salmon to a platter, breaking it into large pieces as you go. Place asparagus on the serving platter. Spoon fennel mixture and oil from baking dish over top of the asparagus,