Salmon with Mixed Greens and Crumbled Bacon

If I'd been served this dish a year ago I probably wouldn't have touched it.  I decided to stop keeping kosher years ago, but changing eating habits takes some effort.  I finally tasted bacon about a year ago and just didn't really care for it, but I gradually started to love it while we were on our honeymoon in Greece where we had bacon and eggs (the "English breakfast" at most hostels) many mornings. 

I had an even greater aversion to fish growing up.  As I remember it, I stopped eating fish because my sister stopped eating it, and I think that was because we had a pet fish who passed away while we were on vacation and was wrapped up and put in the freezer by our pet-sitters.  My sister got over this years before I did and reintroduced fish into her diet but it took me some time to change my habits.


There is a little thrill you get when you get over the fear of eating something you've avoided your whole life, and so I apologize if I am overloading you with fish and bacon recipes!  Just making up for lost time...

Salmon with Mixed Greens and Crumbled Bacon
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Fish

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 slices bacon, soy bacon, turkey bacon, or prosciutto.
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 salmon fillets, about 3/4-1 pound total
Salt and pepper
4 cups mixed greens, red leaf lettuce, or arugula

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  In a frying pan over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 6 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Let cool, crumble, and set aside.

Pour off about half of the bacon drippings and return the pan to medium-low heat.  Add the shallot and saute 1-2 minutes, then raise the temperature to medium high.  Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan.  Add the water, reduce heat to low, and simmer for a minute or two.  Whisk in the olive oil.  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Cut the salmon fillets in half and rub the pieces on both sides with salt in pepper.  Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to accommodate the salmon fillets in one layer and place them in the prepared dish.  Roast in the oven until just opaque when pierced in the center, 13-15 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, divide the greens among individual plates and drizzle with all but 2 tablespoons of the balsamic mixture.  When the fish is ready, place a portion on each plate, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and top with crumbled bacon.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2.