Sephardic Salmon for Passover

Recipe by Linda Capeloto Sendowski

“Growing up in Seattle, salmon was the fish of choice because fresh salmon was readily available,” Linda explains. Accordingly, her grandparents adapted their Turkish recipe by substituting salmon for the types of fish used in Turkey.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 and 1/ 2 pounds salmon filet, preferably center-cut.
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes in tomato puree (kosher for Passover)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 8 thin lemon slices, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Grease an 8 x 8 inch ceramic or glass baking dish with olive oil. Wash the salmon filet and pat it dry. Run your finger over the top of the filet to check for any missed bones. Missed bones are easily removed with a large pair of tweezers. Place salmon in baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the salmon with parsley.
  2. Pour the can of tomatoes, along with the puree, in a bowl. Add sugar and lemon juice, stir, and pour over fish.
  3. Bake in a 350ºF oven for about 30 minutes, or until tomato sauce is bubbling and barely getting crusty in the corners of the baking dish. Cool for about 1 hour, and then cover and refrigerate fish for at least 2 hours. Serve each person a slice of cold salmon with some of the slightly gelled sauce and a slice of lemon for garnish.
  4. The salmon will keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
  5. Makes 6 appetizer- size servings.

You can follow Linda’s blog posts at: www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com