Salmon with Olive and Caper Puttanesca Chutney

The summer is just around the corner. Like many, I am looking forward to the snow melting and making way for the beautiful weather ahead. I can already see blooms popping up!

As many that love the seasons, I am an avid outdoors-women, often with shoes or skis strapped to my feet. When I come inside for the day, nothing beats a hearty soup, or warm bowl of fresh pasta. Even before the thermometer changes, my palate seems to know when spring is right around the corner and starts to crave a lighter option.

Embracing the classics

The discovery. When I was in Italy, I was on a mission to try as many authentic dishes as humanly and financially responsible, finding that some simmered for hours to build flavor, while others seemed to be thrown together in minutes. I’m always a fan of quick, easy and delicious, and one of the classic Italian dishes I picked up, that still frequently adorns my table, is spaghetti alla puttanesca (type of red sauce).

Identify the distinguishing flavors. Behind the hearty tomato flavor, puttanesca invites the saltiness of sardines and olives, with the discernible flavor being the brine of the capers. The contrast these ingredients provide would brighten up any food it was served on! While traditionally served over pasta, and while I would love nothing more than to exist on pasta and baguettes alone, my jeans beg otherwise and creating a healthier variation seemed prudent.

Creating a lighter variation

Celebrate the season. The inspiration for this plate actually stemmed from (no pun intended) the asparagus. As spring quickly came upon us and fresh shoots started to appear, I was going crazy looking for any way I could use them. Finding what is in season and embracing that as the inspiration for a dish is a nice variation from starting with the protein, and I find this way of thinking leads to more creativity with flavors.

As I stood in my kitchen, asparagus in hand, I peered into my refrigerator to find not much more than half of a jar of capers, some string cheese, and the remains of last week’s lunch prep-half wilted spinach, a few cherry tomatoes, and a jar of kalamata olives. The capers quickly brought back the lasting memory of the beloved puttanesca. With my mind set on a fresh, light spring meal, it was not hard to pull together the additional ingredients needed to replicate those ‘oh so memorable’ flavors and create this surprisingly refreshing twist that is quickly replacing my old favorite.

Please comment below on how you enjoyed this dish, or if you used any variations! I’m always curious to see how this versatile this olive and caper chutney could be used.

Salmon with Olive and Caper Puttanesca Chutney

Hannah

While the classic Italian Puttanesca dish is based on a thick sauce served over pasta, this recipe embraces the flavors of the traditional Puttanesca sauce while taking a healthy, low-carb twist on the classic favorite, bringing a Mediterranean fresh feel to the plate without the added guilt.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 2

Calories 299 kcal

Equipment

• Cutting knife
• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowl

Ingredients

  

• 2 servings Salmon Fillet Frozen or fresh
• 1/4 cup Cherry tomatoes chopped
• 1/8 cup Green olives chopped
• 1/8 cup Kalamata olives chopped
• 1 tsp Shallot chopped
• 1 tbsp Red onion chopped
• 1 clove Garlic minced
• 2 tsp Capers preserve liquid
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice about half a lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and placed thawed, cleaned salmon fillets on a lightly greased baking sheet, skin side down if using fresh. Sprinkle with salt. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until no longer pink
• While salmon is baking, assembly your chutney by combining all ingredients together, adding a splash of caper juice for liquid, if needed. Stir occasionally to keep flavors marinating.
• Remove salmon from oven and top with a generous portion of chutney and wedge of lemon.
• Suggested serving over riced cauliflower and broccoli with steamed asparagus (as shown in picture).

Keyword Capers, Chutney, Diet, Healthy, Italian, Keto, Low-carb, Meditteranean, Olives, Salmon