Roast Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette

I'd rate the dish a three but the recipe a 4 because it has so much potential for greatness.

This is a nice change from my usual practice of serving fish over rice. The fish is roasted on a bed of thinly sliced potatoes (thanks again to my Kyocera slicer for making this prep a snap). The potatoes roast about 15 minutes and then the oven temp is reduced and the fish is added for another 12-15 minutes. Then it is topped with a simple herb vinaigrette.

The prep time on the dish is less than 15 minutes so this is a meal on the table in 45 minutes (or less if you make the vinaigrette while the potatoes and fish roast).

This is also a pretty healthy dish since each portion only has the equivalent of about 1/2 of a russet potato.

I do think the vinaigrette is a little top heavy on the vinegar/oil ratio. But this is one of those incredible recipes where the possible variations (creamy yogurt-dill vinaigrette, lemony garlic vinaigrette, balsamic-honey vinaigrette, Penzey's French vinagrette) start coming to mind even as you eat this.

This could even be great on a bed of left-over mashed potatoes dotted with butter and, in place of the vinaigrette, top the roasted salmon with an herb butter and a squeeze of lemon.

I used individual Le Creuset gratin dishes and they were the perfect size for one serving.

It's a pretty dish and guest-worthy once you find the vinaigrette that makes you happy.

Served with a spinach salad and left-over cauliflower gratin (even better day 2).