Description
Celebrate with this festive Christmas Baked Salmon recipe featuring honey butter glaze, creamy dill sauce, and a vibrant holiday tapenade.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon:
- 1.2 – 1.5 kg (2.4 – 3 lb) salmon side, skin on, bones removed (Note 1)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons cooking or kosher salt (Note 2)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Honey Butter Glaze:
- 150 g (5 oz) unsalted butter
- ½ cup honey
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Creamy Dill Sauce:
- 1 ½ cups full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- ½ eschallot (French onion), finely grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
Holiday “Tapenade”:
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (Note 3)
- ⅓ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper each
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Finishing:
- 1 pomegranate, seeds only
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 lemons, cut into 6 pieces each (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the Salmon
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place salmon side skin down on a baking tray lined with parchment. Season evenly with salt and black pepper. - Make Honey Butter Glaze
In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in honey and minced garlic. Heat gently until combined, then remove from heat. - Apply the Glaze
Brush the honey butter glaze generously over the salmon, reserving a little for basting during baking. - Bake the Salmon
Place salmon in the preheated oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes. Baste once or twice with remaining glaze for a sticky, caramelized finish. - Prepare the Creamy Dill Sauce
In a bowl, combine sour cream, dill, grated eschallot, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well and refrigerate until serving. - Make the Holiday Tapenade
In a small saucepan, combine dried cranberries and orange juice. Simmer over medium heat until cranberries soften and liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat and stir in toasted almonds, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil. - Assemble the Dish
Once the salmon is baked, spoon the holiday tapenade evenly over the top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley. - Serve
Drizzle with lemon juice and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
Note 1: Removing bones makes serving easier, but leaving them in adds flavor during cooking.
Note 2: Adjust salt quantity based on whether your salmon is fresh or previously frozen.
Note 3: Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and golden—watch carefully to avoid burning.