Baked Salmon with Fresh Herb Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 lemons sliced
• 3½ pounds salmon fillet wild or organic
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 3 small green chilies
• 2 tablespoons ginger peeled & chopped
• 8 garlic cloves peeled
• 1 cup scallions chopped
• 2 cups cilantro chopped
• 2 cups parsley chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 Lemon juiced
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup mint leaves
• ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced (optional)

Steps

1. Rinse the salmon fillet and dry both sides with paper towels.
2. Place the salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Tuck a few slices of lemon under the fillet.
3. Note: If you do not have parchment paper, you can line the baking tray with an aluminum foil instead and grease it well with oil. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Toast cumin seeds in a small pan over low-medium heat and allow them to cool.
5. Add green chilies, ginger, garlic, toasted cumin seeds, scallions, cilantro, and parsley to the food processor. Add salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper. Pulse a few times until all the ingredients are finely chopped.
6. Then add the mint and pulse a few more times until the mint blends well with the remaining marinade. (Note: Over pulsing mint can sometimes make the marinade turn brownish, so adding it in the end) The marinade will have texture of a pesto and not a fine paste. This should make about 1.5 cups of marinade.
7. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt on the salmon.
8. Spread about ½ cup of the chutney marinade over the salmon. Reserve the remaining to serve with salmon.
9. Optional step: sprinkle a handful of thinly sliced red onions on the top. Allow the fish to marinade in the refrigerator at this point for 20 minutes or go ahead and bake it right away!
10. Brush the top of the salmon with olive oil or use olive oil spray all over the salmon.
11. Bake for 25 minutes, but check for doneness around the 20-minute mark. Serve hot with the reserved chutney.