Roast Salmon in Soothing Lemon Sauce with Potato & Green Bean Salad

There's no question that salmon is one of the healthiest foods you can, and should, eat. It contains two critical omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that your heart and brain need for optimal health..and this is important to me.... especially as you age. EPA fats are a "near miracle" for your health. They promote normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels and improve blood flow. They also promote healthy skin and boost your immune system.

Wild Alaskan salmon as well as wild British Columbia salmon are in season right now and MarxFoods.com is seeking out new and exciting recipes and applications for their contest.

In a perfect world, I would tell you to eat any salmon you could get your hands on because the health benefits are so immense. Unfortunately, most of the salmon out there is "farm raised." Instead of living free in the open waters, farmed salmon are kept in captivity in close quarters. These "fish pens" are breeding ground for disease, therefore fish are sometimes fed antibiotics, which is not something I personally would want to ingest. They are also fed grain rather than EPA and DHA rich algae that salmon eat in their natural habitat, which makes them lower in the all-important omega-3 fatty acids. You can tell the difference in the way they taste. Farmed salmon have a strong, astringent flavor, and the texture leaves a little to be desired. So if you are lucky enough to be able to find wild salmon in your local stores make this your option of choice. If not I wouldn't want to steer you away from eating this "miracle" food with all its health benefits. It is important as a consumer to find out where your food is coming from...just be a smart consumer.

Please submit your favorite salmon recipe by Friday, June 20, 2008.

My daughter came over last night for our mother/daughter/movie/dinner night. With working all these late hours at the Easter Seal Camp for the summer this dish makes the perfect meal. I prepared the potato salad and the fish in the morning while it is still cool enough to have the stovetop and oven on. They are eaten at room temperature al fresco on the patio. Perfect for these long, lazy summer days with a nice glass of wine or in our case we started out with a Pina Colada!!

**Roast Salmon in Soothing Lemon Sauce with Potato and Green Bean Salad**

2-lb salmon fillet, preferably centre cut
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T olive oil
1/4 cup chopped dill or mint
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place salmon on oiled baking sheet. Combine mustard, olive oil, mint or dil, garlic, lemon rind, sour cream or yogurt, salt and pepper. Spread on salmon and leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450F. Roast salmon for 12 - 15 minutes or until white juices just show on the base. Remove from oven and place sheet on a rack. Cool salmon. Remove salmon to serving platter and serve with Lemon Sauce.

**Lemon Sauce**

1 cup Greek yogurt or plain yogurt strained through cheesecloth to remove liquid
2 T lemon juice
1 T grated lemon zest
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh lemon balm or mint
salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

**Potato and Green Bean Salad**

1 T red wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 T grainy Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-lb small red potatoes, unpeeled
1/2-lb green beans, trimmed
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 T parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh dill or mint

Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and sugar. Slowly beat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Boil potatoes in cold salted water for 10 - 15 minutes. Drain well. Immediately toss with half of the vinegar-lemon dressing. Cook green beans for 2 - 3 minutes or until tender crisp. Drain and refresh with cold water. Pat dry and combine with remaining dressing. Toss green beans with potatoes. Stir in green onions, parsley and tarragon. Season well.