Ingredients

  • 1 navel orange
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 fennel bulbs medium, stalks discarded
  • 1/2 cup pear tomatoes yellow
  • 1/2 cup pear tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 whole cloves chopped
  • 1 onion medium, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup carrot peeled and finely diced
  • 6 cups low salt chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups puy lentils French green
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 slices applewood smoked bacon thick-cut, cut crosswise inch thick
  • 1/4 cup shallots chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1/4 cup shallot minced
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2/3 cup orange puree Blood, made from sectioned blood oranges or puree can be bought in specialty food stores
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
  • 12 ounces salmon filet Verlasso, skin removed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • salt

Method

  • For the Relish: Finely grate enough zest from orange to measure 2 teaspoons, then squeeze 1 tablespoon of the juice into a large bowl. Whisk in zest, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil until combined well. Cut fennel bulbs lengthwise into very thin slices and add to the vinaigrette.Halve tomatoes lengthwise and add to the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Chill, covered, 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
  • For the lentils: Heat a medium stockpot to medium high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion and carrots. Saute until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 7 minutes. Add 6 cups of chicken broth, lentils, and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour all but 3 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add shallots to skillet and saute over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain lentils, discarding the bay leaves. Add reserved bacon, lentils, and rosemary to the shallots.
  • For the Beurre Blanc: In a small saucepan, bring the shallot and the white wine to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce by half then strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Add the reduced wine back into the saucepan. Add the blood orange puree, and boil the mixture until it is slightly reduced. Add the cream and boil the mixture until it is reduced by half. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 bit at a time, lifting the pan from the heat occasionally to let the mixture cool and adding each new bit of butter before the previous one has melted completely. (The sauce should not get hot enough to liquefy. It should be the consistency of thin hollandaise.) Season with salt and pepper to taste
  • For the Salmon: Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Brush the salmon filets with olive oil. Sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning, salt and pepper. Place the salmon on the grill presentation side down. Cook for five minute to seven or until lightly browned, turning once.
  • To serve: Place a small amount of lentils on the bottom of the plate. Top with a piece of the grilled salmon and a spoonful of the relish. Finish with the beurre blanc sauce and serve.