CRUISE RECIPE: Seabourn Cruise Line’s Simple Roasted Salmon with Lentil Stew

I’m Hungry to Sail Again..

Stop what you’re doing right now (and if you’re like me, that pretty much means switching off the Law & Order reruns you’ve been watching for the past two months) and start preparing this heavenly dish from Seabourn Cruise Line!

Just look at the directions—simple!—and chances are you have all ingredients on hand. 

The result is a delicious, nutritious and elegant dish that’s perfect to serve your family or guests.  (As a reminder, “guests” are people—friends or relations–who you used to invite into your home for food, drink and conversation before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.)

Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

For the Lentil stew:

½ cup black beluga Lentils (can substitute with green lentils)
3 cups chicken stock (store bought or fresh)
2 tablespoons smoked bacon (small diced)
1 tablespoon carrots (peeled, small diced)
1 tablespoon onions (peeled, small diced)
1 glove garlic (peeled, small diced)
1 pinch thyme (fresh chopped or dry)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Coarse kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon parsley (optional)

For the Salmon

2 salmon fillets (8 oz. each), skin on
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch coarse kosher salt

For the Preserved Tomatoes:

1 fresh tomato, medium sized
1 pinch thyme (fresh chopped or dry)
1 drizzle olive oil
1 pinch coarse kosher salt
1 pinch fresh black pepper

Instructions

For the Black Beluga or Green Lentils:

Please check cooking instructions on Lentil package and either soak overnight (I’ve never done this with my green lentils) or simply rinse lentils in cold water, strain and set aside

In a medium saucepan add the bacon and cook until the fat has rendered. About 2 minutes.

Add the garlic, carrots, onion, thyme and bay leave and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the washed lentils and 2 cups of chicken stock and then simmer on low/medium heat for about 18-20 minutes.

If needed, add more chicken stock until the lentils are tender but not mushy.

Add the white wine vinegar and olive oil.

Season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper.

Note: You can add one tablespoon chopped Parsley for extra flavor.

For the Salmon

Heat up the oven to 160 degree Celsius / 320 degree Fahrenheit.

Place the salmon fillers (skin side down) onto a metal tray.

Sprinkle (only the flesh side) with some olive oil and season with some coarse kosher salt.

Then let the Salmon rest, in room temperature for about 15 min.

In a cold non-stick pan, place the salmon (skin side down) and cook on the stove top at medium heat, for about 5 min. This will result of a nice crisp skin.

Then transfer the Salmon (skin side down) to a metal tray layered with a metal wire and then cook in the oven for about 8 -10 minutes (depending on the Salmon fillet thickness) by 320 degree Fahrenheit

Check the internal Salmon temperature (via a meat temperature thermometer reader), it should read 130 degrees Fahrenheit which is medium cooked.

Remove the salmon fillets from the oven and let is rest for 1 minute then transfer to a small tray layered with paper towel to absorb any access liquid.

For the Preserved Tomatoes

Heat up the oven-broiler to low temperature (about 140 degrees Celsius / 284 degrees Fahrenheit)

Wash the tomato and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Cut the tomato in half lengthwise and remove the stem with a small paring knife.

Transfer the tomatoes halves (skin side down) onto a metal tray.

Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper, then drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle with thyme.

Then transfer the tomatoes to the oven-broiler and let them slowly cook for about 20-25 min.

Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let them cool.

Plating the Dish

Spoon some lentil stew into the serving dish or bowl.

Place the salmon fillet (skin side up) into the lentils.

Place one half piece of preserved tomato next to the salmon fillet.

-Judi Cuervo

Judi Cuervo is a New York City native who fell in love with cruising in 1976 during her first sailing aboard Carnival Cruises’ Mardi Gras. Twenty years later, she began her freelance cruise writing gig and, since that time, has covered mass market, ultra-premium, riverboat and expedition ships for regional, national and international publications as well as cruise websites.