Salmon in Parchment with Sweet Corn, Basil, and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks (white part only), diced
• Kernels cut from 3 ears corn
• 8 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade
• ¾ pint sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
• Six 6 oz salmon fillets, skin removed
• Six 16” sheets parchment paper, folded in half and cut into semi-circles
• 6 Tablespoons prepared basil pesto (optional)
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Grated zest of 1 lemon, to garnish

Instructions

1. To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a sauté pan. Stir in the leeks and sauté a few minutes until they begin to wilt. Add the corn kernels and sauté until slightly caramelized. Stir in the basil & tomatoes. Turn off the heat.

2. To assemble: Take one piece of parchment at a time and lay it open. On the lower portion of the fold, place 2 large spoonfuls of the sauce snug against the middle line, leaving a generous ring of paper around the edge.

3. Place 1 salmon fillet over the sauce. Spread 1 TBS pesto over the salmon and another spoonful of the sauce atop the pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold the top (empty) side of the parchment over the salmon side. Beginning at one end, make small overlapping folds as you move along the outside edge, tucking the last fold under the sealed packet. Place each on a sheet-pan and repeat the process. Refrigerate.

4. To cook: Bake the salmon on the sheet pan in a pre-heated 450° F oven for 15 minutes. If the parchment begins to brown and puff a bit, that’s a good visual cue for “it’s done.”

5. To serve: Use kitchen shears to cut a slit in the center of the package, garnish with lemon zest and serve immediately. Bon appétit!

Courtesy of Nancy Leson (nancyleson.com):
The mouthwatering taste of summer here in the Pacific Northwest is fresh, wild-caught salmon sizzling on the grill. It’s our bounty, and these fresh runs are only here for a short time. Our friend Nancy Leson, food commentator at KNKX Seattle, makes her fresh & wild salmon in parchment paper with a topping of her wonderful summer salsa. It features bright basil, sauteed leeks, and sweet corn with sliced grape tomatoes.
 
Serves (Varies on Size of Salmon).