Dijon parmigiano seared sockeye salmon with gnocchi in a brown butter sage sauce

Edit: Here's the photo!

Unfortunately, my digital camera card reader is swimming in a big bucket of fail sauce, so the resplendent photo I snapped of this dish tonight won't be seen 'til I can swing by Best Buy and pick up a new one (P.S. screw you, Wolf Camera). But it was a rocking plate and I will definitely post it.

This was actually an incredibly simple meal to prepare. I encourage any budding chefs that may be reading this blog to really consider trying this one out.

First and foremost, why this dish loves your brain:

Wild Sockeye Salmon, as many people have figured out, are extremely rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, but you may not know that they also have loads of Vitamin B12 (enough for a whole day's supply in one serving) in addition to decent and high amounts of every other B vitamin. Oh, lots of Selenium, Phosphorus and Potassium, too. Salmon is also a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Potatoes, from which gnocchi are made, while not so fabulous for you when a certain purveyor of nastiness McFries them, are much better for you when mixed with a little flour and served in pillowy dumpling form. They're a great source of B6, Vitamin C and Potassium and have respectable amounts of many other nutrients.

Sage has a ton of Vitamin K in it as well as smaller amounts of several other nutrients, even a little bit of fiber.

Butter...um, well...if you click that link, I'll admit that the tale looks a bit grim. But if I may present another piece of evidence, you may be more persuaded to let a little buttery love slip into your diet without guilt. Just keep your calories in check like the French do, maybe follow it with a glass of red wine, and I say you'll be fine. So does Michael Pollan.

Let's cook!

This makes two servings:

1/2 cup of prepared gnocchi (they very often sell this in the pasta aisle of your grocery store, it may also be refrigerated or frozen. I have made gnocchi many times before, and I can tell you it's not hard, but it is time intensive and this little bit of help from the store was much appreciated)

3/4 lb. of wild Sockeye salmon filet

2 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage

To taste salt, fresh ground pepper, whatever else you'd like

That's it! Not bad, huh?

Baste your filet with that Dijon on both sides, season it with salt and pepper, and add the cheese to presentation side of the fish (this is the side you cook first, it gets the best sear and generally ends up nicer looking than the other side). Set that aside for now.

Get some water on to boil. Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions, or until they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon (save that water) into a bowl and set them aside.

Heat up two pans now, one large non-stick pan for your fish (oil it well, medium heat) and a smaller skillet to brown your butter (medium low heat).

When your larger pan is hot, add your fish (remember, presentation side down first). Not gonna lie, I did not cook this fish all the way through, I did it 'til about a medium, 4 minutes per side. This fish is too good to overcook. Think of it like a sushi grade tuna.

Melt your butter into the smaller skillet and let it foam. It will start to brown, which you do want, but once it gets brown turn the heat down as low as it goes and add your chopped fresh sage. You'll want to add a splash of the starchy gnocchi cooking water now. Couple pinches of salt, little pepper.

Toss your sauce with the gnocchi and get it on the plate, letting a little spill around it. Pile the fish next to it, garnish in the middle with a little fresh sage.

This dish had remarkably clear and clean flavors and incredible depth considering how few ingredients were involved.

Tomorrow, we're doing a little Italian fusion. Do come back.