FISH: Roasting salmon with a crust not only adds a bit of a crunchy texture to the fish, but also helps it to retain moisture during cooking.

WALNUT-CRUSTED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER YOGURT SAUCE:




4 x 6-oz. salmon fillets

crust ingredients:

1 cup finely-chopped walnuts
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

4 tsp. mayonnaise

salt and pepper

cucumber yogurt Sauce:

1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ English cucumber, grated



Preheat oven to 425 degrees F., and oil a large baking dish. Wash, pat dry fillets and season with salt & pepper. Place fillets, skin side down, in the baking dish.

Mix walnuts, bread crumbs, butter and parsley together & season it with salt and pepper to taste. Spread a tsp. of mayonnaise on top on each filet and top with walnut mixture, pressing the mixture into the fish. Transfer to oven and bake until just done, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix yogurt, cucumber, garlic, salt and pepper to taste together in a bowl. If a thinner sauce is preferred, dilute it by adding enough milk to mix into desired consistency. Serve sauce with the fish.