Wake up your taste buds with this super flavorful recipe for roasted salmon with a beet and fennel salad and spiced almond rice that is out of this world! Shout out to Bobby Flay for the recipe!
To make the spice rub, toast the coriander seed, fennel seed, mustard seed, and cumin seed in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from the pan, let cool, then grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Combine the ground spices with the remaining ingredients, mix well, and set aside.
For the spiced almonds, preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread the almonds out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and toast until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Combine the honey, water, and olive oil in a large pan over low heat and heat until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the almonds to the pan. Toss until the almonds are well coated.
Transfer the almonds to a large bowl and mix in 1/4 cup of the spice rub. Toss until the almonds are well coated. Transfer the almonds back to the baking sheet and allow to cool. Once cooled, stir into the cooked rice.
To prepare the salmon, preheat oven to 375°F. (Tip: If it helps if the salmon is room temperature before roasting.)
Place the salmon in a large baking dish or on a baking sheet. Brush with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the spice rub.
Transfer to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced beets, sliced fennel, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss until well combined.
To serve, top the salmon with the beet/fennel salad and serve alongside the almond rice.