Herb Baked Salmon with Figs

🧂 Ingredients

• 6 ounces Atlantic salmon fillet

  (or your favorite salmon)
• 1 sprig fresh sage

  coarsely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 4 dried figs

  crushed and halved
• 1/2 bulb fresh garlic

  skins removed and crushed.
• 1/2 lemon

  sliced thickly
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt

  to season
• fresh ground black pepper

  to season
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white wine

  A cheap white wine works.
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

  optional

Instructions

• 1 Preheat the oven to convection bake at 375°F.
• 2 Combine balsamic vinegar, white wine, honey, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a
  medium-sized saucepan.
• 3 Cook over medium-high heat until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and
  simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces. Stir
  occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. The balsamic glaze will thicken more
  as it cools.
• 4 Optionally, in the last 2 minutes of cooking, add a sprig of fresh rosemary to
  infuse the glaze. Remove the rosemary when the sauce is done.
• 5 Slice 1/2 of a fresh lemon into 3 thick slices.
• 6 Heat olive oil in a skillet, medium-high heat. 
• 7 Add lemon slices to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Fry each side for
  1-2 minutes until golden brown.
• 8 Lay aluminum foil flat on the counter, ensuring sufficient length to wrap the
  entire fillet of salmon. Prepare a bed on top of the tinfoil using the stalks of
  sage, basil, and rosemary. Add the bay leaf. Chop the garlic bulb in half and
  crush it, remove the skin, and scatter the cloves over the bed of herbs. 
• 9 Place the salmon fillet, skin side down on the bed of herbs. Brush the top of
  the salmon generously with the balsamic glaze. 
• 10 Half and crush the figs and place on top of the salmon. 
• 11 Top the salmon filet with the seared lemon slices, covering the entire filet.
  Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil.
• 12 Wrap the salmon tightly with foil, ensuring no steam can escape during cooking.
  Make sure the fillet can still lay flat in the wrapping.
• 13 Bake the salmon for 20-25 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of
  145°F. Avoid opening the foil prematurely so that it does not lose steam.
• 14 Once the salmon is finished baking, remove the figs and slice thinly. Sprinkle
  back over the salmon and drizzle with more balsamic glaze. Garnish with fresh
  chopped basil and oregano.

Nutrition Info