Name: Pan-Seared Salmon with Lentils and Chard
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 onion , chopped fine; 2 garlic cloves , minced; ¼ teaspoon minced fresh thyme or pinch dried; Salt and pepper; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 cup brown lentils , picked over and rinsed; 1 teaspoon lemon juice , plus lemon wedges for serving; 4 (6-ounce) center-cut, skin-on salmon fillets , 1 ½ inches thick; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 12 ounces Swiss chard , stemmed and chopped

Why This Recipe Works

In the course of streamlining the cooking process, we also took this dish one step further by adding Swiss chard to get a complete meal full of rich, earthy flavor. Sautéing chopped onion, garlic, and thyme created a flavorful base for the lentils. We used chicken broth as our cooking liquid for plenty of rich flavor, and a squeeze of lemon juice offered some bright contrast while also encouraging the lentils to hold their shape during cooking. As soon as the lentils were tender, we removed them and browned the salmon in the skillet, using just a little oil to create a crisp skin on the fillets. Preparing the chard was as simple as chopping the leaves (discarding the fibrous, bitter stems), stirring them into the rewarmed lentils, and allowing the leaves to wilt.

Before You Begin

You can use either skin-on or skinless salmon here; some tasters loved the crisp cooked salmon skin. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

Instructions

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, thyme, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, lentils, and lemon juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Uncover and cook, stirring often, until most liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to bowl, and cover to keep warm.

Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Wipe out skillet with paper towels, add oil, and heat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay salmon in skillet, skin side up, and cook until well browned on first side, 4 to 6 minutes.

Flip salmon over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer salmon to clean plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil.

Add lentil mixture to now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Stir in chard and remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook until chard is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with salmon and lemon wedges.