pan crisped salmon or silken tofu

over garlicy beet greens in a coconut milk curry with braised root vegetables

This is that elusive meal we all crave. It tastes fabulous. It looks impressive. It’s made with simple ingredients. It’s elegant and it’s comforting at the same time. It combines all the food groups in a single dish.

And it takes very little time to make, from start to finish.

This makes for a lovely romantic dinner for two. That said, feel free to double it, or even triple it. You can add some jasmin rice if you like, but it’s not totally necessary with the potatoes.

I’m making this dish for a simple Shabbat dinner for two, as part of the menu for Parasha Chayei Sarah

Ingredients:

For the Braise

• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks

• ½ small green cabbage, cut into chunks, about the same size as the onions.

• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, about the same size as the onions and cabbage.

• Two large fat carrots, peeled and cut into chunks.

• A handful of mushrooms, any variety, halved or quartered or cut in any way that makes sense for the variety and size of the mushrooms you’ve chosen.

• 1 can Thai coconut milk—not light or reduced fat

• Kosher salt as needed

• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (Red Boat is the only kosher brand I know of)

• Small bunch of cilantro

• small bunch of beets, wrapped in foil and roasted at 375° for an hour or until tender, greens reserved

• ¼ cup shredded basil

For the Greens

Ingredients:

• 1—2 tablespoons Coconut oil for sautéing

• 5 ounces baby greens—use the beet greens plus enough of your favorite greens you can use spinach, kale, dandelion, mustard, etc., or any combination of them.

• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• Kosher salt as needed

For the Salmon

• Coconut oil for pan frying

• 4 small salmon fillets, skin on, about 3 ounces each (thick pieces work better than thin ones)

• Flour for dredging

• Kosher salt

• Hot pepper flakes of your choice, to taste (I used Aleppo)

• cilantro or parsley to garnish

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175°, to keep the individual components warm.

For the Braise

• Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.

• Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until vegetables are tender. They should be soft, but the potatoes should still hold their shape.

• When they’re done, remove them from the heat and cover the pot to keep it warm.

For the Greens

• Use a skillet that’s large enough to hold all the greens. Warm enough coconut oil to sauté the greens, then add the sliced garlic.

• Sauté for about a minute, then add the greens with a sprinkle of salt.

• If they don’t all fit at one time, let the first handful cook down a little and then add more, a little at a time.

• When they’re cooked down, put them in an oven-safe dish and keep them warm while you prepare the salmon.

For the Salmon

• Sprinkle the salmon all over lightly with salt, the dredge the salmon pieces in flour, on the skin side.

• Heat a few tablespoons of oil in the skillet until a small cube of bread sizzles. Put the salmon into the oil, skin side down, and fry without moving the pieces for about 4 minutes, until the skin is crispy.

• Carefully turn them over and cook on the flesh side for a minute or two. Then, remove them from the pan.

• If they don’t all fit at one time, cook them in batches and keep them warm in the oven.

• Cook your salmon to medium rare to keep it moist and tender.

To Serve:

• Choose two good sized, shallow bowls, such as pasta bowls.

• Ladle half the coconut milk and vegetable braise into each bowl.

• Place half the greens to one side of each bowl. If you’re serving rice, put a couple of spoonfuls under the greens.

• Arrange 2 salmon fillets artfully over the greens.

• Finish the dish with some chopped cilantro or parsley and serve.

Did you make it? Was it fabulous?