Baked Salmon & Grits Topped with Bearnaise Sauce

Baked Salmon is one of my favorite seafood dishes!  Pair it with some creamy buttery grits and you have food heaven!  By using the parchment pouch (en papillote) to bake the salmon, it created this moist and tender salmon that just absolutely melts in your mouth just like the creamy grits and super delish bearnaise sauce!  This is the perfect special breakfast, brunch, “I am trying to impress someone” kinda dish!  Warning though, someone may wonder if you bought this from a restaurant and plated it when you got home!  HA!!  It’s really that good!  Enjoy and share the recipe love!

oh yeah baby!

who knew biscuit cutters weren’t just for cutting biscuits HA!

 about to get some parchment paper baking love

look at all this flavor locked in those pouches!

who knew bearnaise sauce was this easy to make?? 

 ahh the family was sooooo happy!!

 BAKED SALMON & GRITS TOPPED WITH BEARNAISE SAUCE

BAKED SALMON INGREDIENTS:
4-5 pound salmon filet slab (without skin)
½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil for each salmon piece
½ tsp. lemon juice for each salmon piece
½ tsp. sea salt for each salmon piece
¼ tsp. black pepper for each salmon piece

GRITS INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup instant grits
3 ½ water
½ cup whole milk
½ stick unsalted butter

BEARNAISE INGREDIENTS:
3 large egg yolks
1 ¼ stick of unsalted melted butter (plus 1 tbsp. unsalted room temperature butter)
2 tbsp. finely chopped shallots
¼ cup white wine
1 tbsp. white vinegar
½ tbsp. lemon juice
½ tbsp. sea salt
1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon

READY, SET GO:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees,  clean Salmon Slab and pat dry
2. Use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out round pieces of salmon and set aside
3. Use Reynolds^® Parchment Paper to create a heart shaped parchment pouch (en papillote) like I did when making Ginger Shrimp & Broccoli
4. Place 2-3 round salmon pieces on the right side of your parchment pouch, drizzle each piece with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper – fold other side over to cover the salmon and fold over to close
5. Bake for 15-17 minutes
6. LET’S MAKE THE BEARNAISE SAUCE – over medium heat melt 1 tbsp. unsalted butter in medium sauce pan, once butter is melted add shallots and allow to cook for 1 minute, then add white wine and white vinegar allow to cook for 5 minutes then set aside to cool about 5 minutes
7. In medium bowl add yolks and cooled shallots, wine and vinegar and use hand mixer to begin mixing on low for 30 seconds, begin to slowly pour the melted butter into the bowl and continue to use hand mixer on low in intervals until all butter is incorporated
8. Once butter is incorporated, add lemon juice, sea salt and tarragon, then mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is creamy and has thickened
9. LET’S MAKE THE GRITS – over high heat bring water to a boil, once boiling add grits and turn heat down to medium and allow to cook uncovered whisking periodically until water has evaporated, slowly add milk and continue to whisk, add butter and sea salt
10. Plate as follows: grits, salmon & béarnaise sauce
11. 11.   ENJOY AND SHARE THE RECIPE LOVE