Pan-Seared Salmon with Peppercorn Dijon Sauce, Roasted Sweet Potatoes &Amp; Kale Apple Salad

Treat yourself to a restaurant-quality meal at home with this beautifully balanced dish. Pan-seared salmon gets draped in a rich, creamy peppercorn Dijon sauce made with crème fraîche, honey Dijon and a touch of butter. The sauce is perfectly complemented by garlic-roasted sweet potato rounds and a bright, crunchy kale apple salad tossed with dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.

Every element comes together for a satisfying dinner that feels special but is surprisingly simple to prepare. The sweet potatoes roast while you cook the salmon and whip up the sauce and the salad comes together in minutes. It’s a complete meal that’s sure to impress.

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Ingredients

0.5 ounce Sunflower SeedsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Crème FraîcheView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce KaleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.17 tablespoon Black PeppercornsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 ounce Honey Dijon DressingView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried CranberriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit AppleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce SalmonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Slice sweet potatoes into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any large stems from kale; chop into bite-size pieces. Halve, peel and finely dice half the shallot (whole shallot for 4 servings). Place peppercorns in a zip-close bag and crush with a heavy-bottomed pan or rolling pin.
2. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with a large drizzle of oil, half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest later), a couple big pinches of salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast on the top rack until browned and cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
3. While sweet potatoes roast, place kale in bowl used for sweet potatoes and lightly season with salt. Using your hands, massage kale (similar to how you would knead dough) until leaves are tender, about 1 minute. (Tip: To make kale even more tender, add a drizzle of olive oil along with the salt before massaging.) Set aside.
4. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season all over with remaining garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side. (Tip: If salmon begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium and cover after flipping.) Transfer salmon to a cutting board and tent with foil. Turn off heat; rinse and wipe out pan.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium heat. Add minced shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup water (½ cup for 4 servings), stock concentrate and ½ tsp crushed peppercorns (1 tsp for 4) and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1-3 minutes. (Save remaining crushed peppercorns for another use.) Remove from heat. Stir in crème fraîche, half the dressing and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) until butter is melted. Taste and season with salt.
6. Halve, core and thinly slice apple. To bowl with kale, add apple, cranberries, sunflower seeds, half the Parmesan and remaining dressing to taste; toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Thinly slice salmon crosswise. Divide salmon, sweet potatoes and salad between plates. Spoon sauce over salmon. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over salad and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken instead of salmon?

Yes, this recipe works well with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Adjust cooking time as needed until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

What can I substitute for crème fraîche?

You can use sour cream or Greek yogurt mixed with a little heavy cream as a substitute. The sauce will be slightly tangier but still delicious.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover salmon, sweet potatoes and salad separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat salmon and sweet potatoes gently in a pan or oven; the salad is best enjoyed fresh.