Tender flaky, steamed salmon over zesty organic Japanese Mizuna greens is an elegant but relatively easy dish to make and serve. I have frequently cooked fish over greens in a pouch but this was the first time doing it with these sassy Japanese mustard greens. Mizuna Greens, sometimes called Pepper Grass, are a member of the mustard family that can be used fresh on a sandwich, in a salad or a pesto, or cooked in a stir-fry, soup, or steamed dish. Mizuna has a mild peppery flavor similar to Arugula but less spicy. Tonight I used the greens to help steam a lovely slab of salmon and it was divine!
Once you have washed, trimmed and chopped your greens, sweat a red onion, I like to do it in slices so they are like sweet red streamers mixed in with the spicy greens. Once your onions are translucent, add the greens and some salt and the juice of half a lemon reserving the other half for the fish and keep tossing them until they wilt. Be careful not to get any lemon seeds in there! Transfer the greens to your foil lined baking sheet. Make sure you use a big enough piece of foil that you can fold the sides up and over your fish once it is in place. The tent aids the cooking process and keeps your beautiful filet from drying out. Season the first side of your filet and then lay it down on that steamy pile of greens and onions. Season the top side with the the same herbs and spices. I chose to use Old Bay classic seasoning with some Kirkland Organic No Salt Seasoning, black pepper and dried parsley flakes. Slice that other half of the lemon so that you get at least three nice slices and just squeeze the rest of the juice from the end of the lemon all over the top. Place three pats of unsalted butter at even intervals on the filet and top with lemon slices. Fold the sides of the foil up and pinch them together to form a tent. Pop that poisson into a 375º F oven for 30-35 minutes depending on your oven… I needed 35 minutes here at sea level.
While my fish was steaming in the oven, I diced up a couple of buttery Yukon potatoes I had boiled in their skins and made some seasoned home fries to serve with the salmon and greens. My husband went back for seconds!! Win!
- 2 Bunches Organic Mizuna Greens, washed and trimmed
- 1 large Red Onion, sliced
- Olive Oil
- 2.5 lb Wild Caught Salmon Filet
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Black Pepper
- Kirkland No Salt Seasoning
- Dried Parsley
- 1 lemon
- 3 pats of Unsalted Butter
- Preheat the oven to 375º F
- Trim the first 2 inches of stem off each bunch of greens and thoroughly wash to remove any sand or grit.
- Chop the greens and remaining stems into 1 inch pieces.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan and add the sliced onions and cook until they are translucent.
- Add the fresh greens and allow them to wilt, use tongs to keep them moving.
- Slice a lemon in half… squeeze the juice of one half of the lemon into the greens
- Season the greens with a pinch of salt.
- Line a baking sheet with a big enough piece of foil that will allow you to make a tent.
- Distribute your sauteed greens and onions evenly down the middle of your sheet.
- Season your filet on one side with Old Bay, No Salt Seasoning and Black Pepper and lay it seasoned side down on the greens.
- Season the top side of the filet generously with Old Bay, No Salt seasoning, black pepper and dried parsley.
- Slice the other half of the lemon into at least three large slices and an end piece. Squeeze the juice from the end piece all over the filet.
- Place three pats of unsalted butter at intervals evenly across the top of the fish and top each pat of butter with a slice of lemon.
- Fold the sides of the foil up over the fish and form a tent and put it in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
