Baked Salmon with Kumquats

Citrus and salmon are a common pair, but we’re usually talking about more common citrus fruits like lemon. But if you’re growing kumquats or just happen to have them in your refrigerator, there’s so much you can do when you play around with salmon recipes. Mild and rich, you can cook salmon in various ways to achieve a certain flavor. My personal favorite is baked salmon because it can have a delicious citrusy undertone alongside its buttery taste. This makes it a perfect pair for a handful of fingerling potatoes and some fresh kumquats!

Baked Salmon with Kumquats can be that tropical twist you never knew you needed. As I said, typically, you’ll see lemons as an accent for salmon dishes, but for this recipe, seeded and halved kumquats make it incredibly unique. The sweet and sour blend of kumquats becomes even more defined when roasted, but the flavor isn’t so overwhelming that they’ll take the attention away from the salmon.

Some roasted fingerling potatoes, on the other hand, form the foundation of this dish. Because their skins are pretty thin, you can keep them on for added texture. What makes fingerling potatoes a great complement to salmon is that their flavors aren’t too far from each other: rich and buttery, but fingerlings have a hint of nuttiness!

It doesn’t stop there: Baked Salmon with Kumquats isn’t complete without an amazing marinade. At the forefront is the sweetness of honey tempered by olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. The orange zest and juice give it that mild citrusy balance that works well with your kumquats.

Garnish this beautiful ensemble with thyme and voila! You’ve got an elegant dinner that will surely wow your hungry visitors!

Baked Salmon with Kumquats

Roasted fingerling potatoes form the foundation of this one-pan Baked Salmon and Kumquats dish, and the kumquats are positively delicious when roasted. Chances are, you won’t have any leftovers.

• Author: Norann Oleson
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: Entrées

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• • 1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 pound salmon, skinless and cut into 4-ounce pieces
  • 3 shallots, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 1/2 cups kumquats, halved and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh thyme
• Marinade:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Zest from one orange
  • Juice from one orange
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Put potatoes, shallots, and kumquats on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.
4. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
5. Meanwhile, make the marinade.
6. Combine in a shallow bowl the olive oil, honey, garlic, half of the orange zest, 2 tablespoons of the orange juice, and the salt, pepper, and cayenne.
7. Put the salmon in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the fish. Turn it to coat it completely. Leave on the counter, covered, to let the flavors blend.
8. When the potatoes are fork tender, take the baking sheet out of the oven.
9. Give the potato mixture a stir, then make room to add the salmon between the potatoes.
10. Pour any remaining marinade over the salmon.
11. Top with fresh thyme sprigs.
12. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F.
13. Bake salmon to your preferred level of doneness—8 to 12 minutes, depending on how thick your filets are.
14. Optional: broil the salmon for the last few minutes of cooking
15. Garnish with orange zest and a sprinkling of thyme and orange juice.

Have you tried this Baked Salmon and Kumquats recipe? This is an elegant dinner worth making for company. Please tell us how it turned out for you. For more information on growing kumquats, check out our Crazy For Kumquats gardening guide.