Sheet Pan Salmon with Buttered Leeks and Peas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (See Cook’s Tip)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds salmon, cut into 4 pieces, pin bones removed
• 12 ounces frozen peas
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
• 4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Place leeks and smashed garlic cloves on rimmed sheet pan. Dot with butter and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes until butter has melted and leeks begin to soften.
3. While leeks are baking, season salmon pieces with salt and pepper.
4. Remove pan from oven and add peas. Stir to coat everything with melted butter. Nestle salmon pieces, skin-side down, among veggies.
5. Pour stock over everything and carefully transfer pan back to oven.
6. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until salmon has cooked to desired temperature. An internal temperature of 125°F is perfect for medium-rare salmon. (see cook’s tip)
7. While salmon is baking, make sauce. In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, lemon zest, and minced garlic. Stir in parsley, capers, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
8. To serve, remove cooked salmon from sheet pan and set on warm plates. Give the leek and pea mixture a final stir. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon mixture next to salmon. Top everything with sauce.
9. Cook’s Tip:
10. Leeks sometimes grow with sand between their layers. The best way to wash them is to split the leek in half lengthwise. Rinse each half while fanning the layers under the water, allowing dirt and sand to be washed away. Proceed with chopping or slicing.
11. Though the USDA recommends 145°F as a safe cooking temperature for fish, most chefs would consider this overcooked. Cooking to 125°F ensures a salmon fillet that easily flakes and is beautifully moist.