Walnut-Honey Salmon

We made this recipe of my grandma's for Christmas dinner this year, and it was so delicious.  We usually make a turkey, which is delicious but can sort of take over the day in terms of preparation time.  The salmon felt just as much a special-occasion dish, but was super easy to prepare.  You can use any nut you like here, although the walnuts were very delicious.  I wasn't so sure about using honey with salmon, but the sweetness and earthy flavor was really tasty, and combined well with the nuts too.  Definitely don't skip the squeeze of lemon - this dish would be too rich without a little acid to brighten it up.

Walnut-Honey Salmon
Serves 4

Olive oil
4 salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
Honey
1 cup coarsely ground walnuts (a food processor works best for this)
1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a baking sheet.
2. Arranged the salmon fillets skin-side-down.  Season the salmon fillets generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle each piece of salmon generously with honey, and use your fingers to smooth the salmon into as even a layer as possible.  Dip the honeyed side of the salmon into the walnuts, making sure to get a good coating.  Place the salmon on the baking sheet, skin-side-down.
3. Bake the salmon until cooked through, about 12 minutes - pay close attention, as the timing will depend on the size of your fillets.
4. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over top.

A delicious Christmas dinner: walnut-honey salmon, broccolini with walnuts and sweet soy sauce, buttery mashed potatoes, applesauce, and Nutella swirl buns.