Baked Salmon with Carrot Sauce and Roasted Lemon

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the lemon in half and slice the bell pepper into rings. Place the lemon halves and pepper rings on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Step 2

Roast the lemon and pepper for 10 minutes, until the pepper softens and the lemon starts to caramelize. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Step 3

While those roast, peel and chop the 1 lb carrots into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Step 4

Transfer the carrots to a blender with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup of the reserved water. Blend until completely smooth, adding more water if needed to reach a pourable sauce. Season with black pepper.

Step 5

Pat the 4 salmon fillets dry and season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 12-15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Step 6

Spread the carrot sauce onto plates, top with a salmon fillet, and garnish with the roasted lemon halves, pepper rings, and 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Squeeze the roasted lemon over the salmon before serving.

Step 7

Serve immediately, with extra sauce on the side if desired.