Sorghum Salmon with Appalachian-Beet Salad

Recipe and Photography by Edible Blue Ridge

Nordic and Appalachian cuisine unite in this seasonal fall dish. Sustainable Kvaroy salmon fillets are roasted with a sorghum glaze — an Appalachian staple. Roasted beets, fennel and whole grain sorghum make for a healthy and hearty salad finished with a tangy yogurt sauce. 

Serves 4

For the Salmon

• 4, 6-ounce skin on Kvaroy Salmon Fillets

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons sorghum syrup

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

• Salt

• pepper

For the Beet-Sorghum Salad

• 1 bunch beets, scrubbed, and chopped into 1” cubes, greens trimmed and reserved, 

• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup sorghum grain

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sauce

• 3/4 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt

• 2 teaspoons horseradish (jarred version)

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground caraway

• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the Salad

Preheat oven to 400 ℉. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss beets and fennel with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until beets and fennel are tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring two quarts of salted water to a boil. Add 1 cup of rinsed sorghum and the clove of garlic, return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, until soft, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and drain sorghum, discarding the garlic clove.

Combine cooked sorghum with beets and fennel in a large bowl and toss with remaining two tablespoons olive oil, sherry vinegar and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch beet greens for 2 minutes. Drain, cool under cold water, and pat dry. Roughly chop beet greens and toss with salad. Set aside.

For the Sauce:

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the Salmon:

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, sorghum syrup, lemon juice and caraway seeds. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place, skin-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush fillets with glaze and bake for 12-15 minutes, brushing with glaze again at the halfway mark.

To serve:
Spoon sauce onto plates and mound salad alongside. Top with salmon, skin side up, and serve with remaining sauce.