Broiled Salmon with New Potatoes and Leeks
Ingredients
1 pound of New Potatoes (such as red, baby Yukon, or baby purple), scrubbed well
4 tablespoons walnut oil, divided
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Nordic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 salmon fillets, skin on but cleaned of bones
1 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ teaspoon each: garlic powder, fresh dill
2-3 leeks, washed well and trimmed to the whites and cut in half
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put a pot of water on HIGH, large enough to blanch the leeks.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the walnut oil; arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast the potatoes in the oven until slightly golden and fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut the leek hearts in half and blanch for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Also, rub the salmon fillets with cider vinegar.
4. Remove the leeks and pat dry. Rub with 2 tablespoons walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush the salmon fillets with the melted butter. Season each fillet with garlic, dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Raise the oven temperature to 500°F. Arrange the leeks and salmon on the baking sheet with the potatoes. Continue roasting until the leeks are golden and tender and the fish is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more. To serve, divide the potatoes, leeks and salmon among four plates.
Nutritional Information
Nothing is more Nordic than seafood, but living inland means it's harder to come by. It does not change our bodies need for the micronutrients that come from seafood. Salmon is incredibly rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, but it's also rich in vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, vitamin E and selenium. The average serving of farmed salmon contains at least 20% of the recommended daily intake of all of these micronutrients. Salmon helps support heart health by reducing total cholesterol and blood pressure, two risk factors for heart disease.
The flesh of salmon lacks vitamin D, but salmon skin is loaded with it, which is why it is recommended to eat the skins as well. Given the modern lifestyle that most westerners lead, which does not include nearly enough outdoor activity, foods rich in Vitamin D are crucial. Therefore, consuming salmon skin helps in the absorption of calcium, and consequently promotes healthy bone development.
Similarly, leeks are an excellent source of vitamin A (one cup offers 30% of your daily requirement), and they're a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6, as well as the minerals iron and manganese and even beta-carotene, which most westerners are deficient in. Leeks are an excellent source of antioxidants and beta-carotene that have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits. Carotenoids include zeaxanthin and lutein which protect the eyes, reducing risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Numerous nutritional studies show that the leek can help prevent certain forms of cancer.
Fad eating tends to criticize the humble potato for its starchy macros, however potatoes are important sources of several micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate and thiamin. Potatoes can be a source of “resistant starch”, too, which means that your body's reaction to it is not the same sort of insulin spike as other starchy foods.
And let's not forget about the value of cooking in walnut oil. Walnut oil is a rich source of essential fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid. Walnut oil also contains proteins, polyphenols, ellagic, malic and gallic acid and phytonutrients like zinc, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and selenium.
Fundamentally, this incredibly satiating meal also satisfies a significant portion of the body's needs. To recap, this meal provides the following micronutrients in significant quantities:
- Vitamin A and Carotenoids (such as beta-carotene) - Important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. Vitamin A also helps the heart, lungs, and other organs work properly.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) - Helps to turn food into energy and to keep the nervous system healthy.
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin) - helps keep the nervous system, digestive system and skin healthy.
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) - In addition to playing a role in the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates for energy, it is critical to the manufacture of red blood cells, as well as sex and stress-related hormones produced in the adrenal glands, small glands that sit atop the kidneys.
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) - Important for normal brain development and for keeping the nervous system and immune system healthy.
- Vitamin B9 (Folate) - Important in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) - Plays an essential role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and the production of DNA, the molecules inside cells that carry genetic information.
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) - In addition to playing a key role in the body's healing processes, it is necessary to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones
- Vitamin D - In addition to supporting many cellular functions within the body, it essential for the proper absorption of calcium. The body does produce Vitamin D naturally with enough sun exposure, however most westerners do not get outside frequently enough to capitalize on this natural function.
- Vitamin E - Important to vision, reproduction, and the health of the blood, brain and skin, as well as serving as an antioxidant.
- Vitamin K - Helps to make various proteins that are needed for blood clotting and the building of bones.
- Potassium - Helps the nerves, muscles heart to function well, and also helps move nutrients and waste around the body's cells.
- Magnesium - Essential for healthy muscles, nerves, bones and blood sugar levels.
- Manganese - Helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.
- Phosphorus - Needed for the growth, maintenance, and repair of all tissues and cells, and for the production of the genetic building blocks, DNA and RNA
- Selenium - Play critical roles in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, and protection from oxidative damage and infection.
- Zinc - Helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. The body also uses zinc to make DNA (the genetic material in cells) and proteins.
- Calcium - Necessary to support a healthy skeletal structure, but additionally important for heart, muscular, and nerve health.
- Iron - Necessary for growth and development. The body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. The body also needs iron to make some hormones.
- Copper - Used in making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels.
- Omega-3 - Curbs inflammation and supports healthy heart functions.
- Alpha-linolenic acid - An anti-inflammatory found in flax, rapeseed, and walnut which may reduce stroke risk, size, and/or consequences.
- Oleic acid - Helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Linoleic acid - Serves as an important constituent of neuronal membrane phospholipids and also as a substrate for prostaglandin formation, seemingly important for preservation of nerve blood flow.
- Polyphenols - Helpful in reducing blood sugars and promoting a healthier regulation of insulin in the body as well as reducing inflammation and supporting healthy heart functions.
- Ellagic acid - Powerful antioxidant helpful in reducing cancer formations.
- Malic acid - Particularly helpful in regulating skin cells, but also fosters a healthy saliva production.
- Gallic acid - An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory particularly valuable to gastrointestinal processes.
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