Roasted Salmon Wrapped in Swiss Chard

When the weather finally changed this week and the temperatures were springlike and promising, my thoughts turned to lighter meals as well as the appealing prospect of grilling outdoors in the near future. The fact that I could finally see my deck, without it being covered in ice or snow, leads me to believe that I actually might be standing next to the barbecue very soon indeed. Looking forward to trying some new BBQ recipes in the coming weeks and especially looking forward to the easy prep and cleanup. I think we've all had enough of the comfort food that usually goes alongside with wintertime.

Anyway, back to the spring theme... when I saw this recipe for salmon roasted in Swiss chard leaves, it sounded like a perfect light springtime meal for the family. And I figured that if the littler ones really hated its beautiful green cocoon, they could simply unwrap it and all would not be lost in terms of the salmon. The fact that I only needed to pick up a couple of ingredients from the grocery store on the way home from work sealed the deal. I prepped this the night before and left it in the fridge so hopefully someone will be willing to preheat the oven, pop it on a tray and let the oven do the rest. A nice light spring meal awaits the person with such initiative. My bet is that it'll be Q but we'll wait and see.

Roasted Salmon Wrapped in Swiss Chard

adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Meals

coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice (from 1 lemon)
4 leaves Swiss chard, stalks trimmed
4 (6 to 8 ounces each) skinless salmon fillets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil; set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, mix butter, tarragon, and lemon zest in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Place chard leaves in boiling water; cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, remove leaves from water, and lay them flat on prepared baking sheet.

Place each fillet on top of a leaf, sprinkle with lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Spread butter mixture over each fillet, and wrap leaf around, tucking stalk underneath to secure. Roast until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.