Salmon with Tzatziki Sauce

As a college student, I don’t always have access to the finer things in life… Like an outdoor grill.

I love grilling outdoors in the warm weather, but as I mentioned before, this has not been the case for me. My culinary endeavors begin and end indoors, which makes cooking dinner a little monotonous at times.

But in my opinion, if there is one food that tastes equally flavorful, indoors and outdoors, it’s salmon. It’s also a nice change from the typical “grilled” chicken option. I’m sorry, but the George Foreman is no substitute for a BBQ and baked chicken is as appealing as a Lean Cuisine.

Baked salmon is juicy, tender, and flavorful. It is also really difficult to mess up and painless to clean up afterwards. All of which are very good reasons why college students and busy bodies, alike, should make this for dinner tonight.

Mondays suck, but your dinner doesn’t have to.

Salmon with Tzatziki Sauce by The Bite-Sized Baker:

Salmon:

1 pound salmon filet

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely minced

1 teaspoon mint leaves, finely minced

½ teaspoon paprika

Zest and juice of one lemon

Salt and pepper

Tzatziki Sauce:

7 ounces plain Greek yogurt

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

mix

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh dill, finely minced

1 teaspoon mint leaves, finely minced

Juice of half a lemon.

Salt and pepper

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, mint, dill, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with salmon. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush salmon with olive oil and season with lemon zest, garlic, mint, dill, salt, and black pepper. Place salmon on a foil-lined baking dish and roast until just cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Let rest 5 minutes, then transfer to a platter and top with the Tzatziki Sauce.
3. For a complete dinner, serve your salmon with a salad of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, olive, and feta cheese seasoned with mint, dill, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Makes 2 large servings.