Roasted Salmon With Castelvetrano Olives, Artichokes, Capers, & Preserved Lemon

Oh, What a Chanukah It's Been

The frying has finished. After eight days of oiled skillets and hundreds of fritters, pancakes and donuts of varying sizes, shapes and flavors made and consumed, we closed the holiday with one last gathering.

I had plans to ease off of the entertaining this year, but in the end either hosted or feasted with others nearly every night. In the wake of the tragedy of Bondi Beach and the undeniable joy of seeing our remaining live hostages home (tempered by the knowledge that Ran Gvili’s family is still waiting for his return), I am cleaving to friends and family tighter than ever in these times. Why be alone when we can be together?

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that it’s our responsibility—even when it feels hard—to show up for our people, our community, ourselves.

The endless dishes, the mounds of potato peels, the lingering scent of frying oil, the powdered sugar dusted on the kitchen floor—these are all reminders that Jewish life is messy and beautiful, delicious and sometimes dangerous, harrowing and happy all at the same time. Until the next holiday - xoxo, love to you all.

Salmon With Castelvetrano Olives, Artichokes, Capers, & Preserved Lemon

Here, the tangy elements counteract perfectly with the rich, fatty salmon. I used a store-bought sundried tomato spread, but you can easily whip up our own from a jar of olive oil-packed sundried tomatoes. Serve this right out of the oven, but I love it best at room temperature. The pic above is the recipe below, doubled!

Serves 8 to 10

One 2.5 pound skin-on salmon fillet

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 to 1/3 cup sundried tomato paste/spread

A 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained (not rinsed) & chopped

1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano Olives, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup drained, rinsed capers, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon (or regular lemon, pits removed and finely chopped)

1 tablespoon finely minced seeded jalapeño pepper

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3-4 tablespoons chopped herbs of your choice

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Pat the salmon dry, season generously with salt and pepper, and spread the sundried tomatoes paste all over the top. Roast until the salmon is cooked to your liking, 25 minutes for rare, 35 minutes for medium, and 40 minutes for well done.

While the salmon is roasting, combine the artichokes, olives, capers, preserved lemon, jalapeño, and most of the herbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the salmon is ready, remove it from the oven, cool as much as you like (I like mine room temperature), transfer to and spoon the artichoke-olive mixture over the top.

Garnish with the rest of the herbs.