Ah, Spring. For many of us, it’s the season we wait for with most anticipation. Not only because of the change in weather, but the lighter flavors in food all around us! Tangy, zippy, and still comforting, dishes like this Spring Dijon Salmon & Shrimp will make it worth having lost that extra hour of sleep!
Spring ahead! It’s a sign of Spring, right? We should all be happy about that! But in reality, what “Springing Ahead” really should be billed as is: “Lose an hour of sleep! Drag your way into your week, have trouble sleeping, and wonder what that big, shining ball in the sky is when you DO finally wake up!” Yeah, right now I think the whole “Spring Ahead” thing can suck it.
But wait. I need to wake up and smell (and drink!) the coffee and be thankful for more hours of daylight. Thankful for the chance for more vitamin D in my daily life. Thankful that the nicer weather on the way will help encourage me to lose those winter pounds that crept in. So if I’m being thankful, then I am thankful for recipes like this that just scream “Spring is coming!”
To get over the sleep deprivation and all-week feeling of jet lag, I simply looked to this recipe for help. With the addition of two more S’s for Spring–Salmon & Shrimp–I am feeling better already.
The use of simple ingredients like fresh thyme and bright lemon make the whole loss of sleep thing (a bit) more bearable. Does this recipe sound familiar? That’s because I rely on variations of these ingredients a LOT. If they’re that good, why not keep marching them out for yummy dinners like this?
I feel healthier and brighter just thinking about it, don’t you? Spring ahead into Spring flavors, indeed!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 people | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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I adore the flavors in this simple meal. There is little better with fish than mustard, lemon and olive oil. You just can't go wrong. And the beauty is that you can change up the type of mustard depending on your taste. Hooray for using what is already in your pantry! Serve this tasty dish on a harried weeknight, and you'll feel like you're dining out for something special.
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- 4 6 oz. salmon filets
- 1 12 oz. bag frozen shrimp, defrosted
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll lemon on counter to release juices in the fruit. Slice in half; reserve other half for another use. Whisk together the mustard, lemon, thyme, salt & pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Coat salmon filets with marinade using a brush or the back of a spoon. Bake salmon for 30 minutes, or until fish is flaky.
- Add remaining marinade to shrimp and toss to coat.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Saute shrimp until just beginning to brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Serve salmon & shrimp over rice pilaf or other grain like farro or quinoa. Add steamed asparagus or other Spring vegetable, and dinner is served!
For a nice, light wine pairing that will bring out even more flavors in the dish, try a medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc. A budget-friendly option to try is the Matua Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. The light, crisp flavors won't overpower the delicate nature of the seafood, but stands up well to the Dijon in the dish.
In addition to being what some might call a good "patio pounder" wine, it won't break the bank. This wine goes well with anything from fish to chicken to a spicy Asian dish. It's a great counterpoint of flavors for many other pairings.
Oh, and did I mention that it tastes like Spring? I didn't? Well, it does, so that makes it truly a super wine for this "Spring Ahead" dish.
Northwest line-caught salmon is so good that simple preparations like this are perfect. And so quick and easy too.
Mustard is fantastic with both salmon and shrimp…I love it!
Dee Dee,
As often as I reach for salmon (shrimp is typically reserved for deployment meals since the spouse doesn’t like it) I’ve never tried mustard as a seasoning. Who knew.
This looks terrific, and hopefully the extra evening light will mean plenty of evening walks–I know I could use them.
Thanks!
It is a combo whose time has come. So good you’ll find yourself reaching for it over and over again! And BTW, I hear you on the deployment meals. :o)