This simple, festive treatment for a whole side of salmon is an easy way to feed a crowd with style. You can substitute a mix of peppercorns (green, white, pink and black—sometimes called rainbow peppercorns) for the black and pink ones called for in this mix.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds beets (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into wedges
1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the parchment paper
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 whole side (about 3 pounds) salmon, skin on
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped chives
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
Method:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place beets in on a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle with ginger, fine sea salt and 1 tablespoon of the oil; toss to coat. Roast in the middle of the oven, stirring once or twice during cooking, until tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place black peppercorns in a spice grinder and pulse once or twice until cracked, or place them on a cutting board and crack with a rolling pin. Add pink peppercorns, coriander seeds, rosemary and coarse sea salt; continue to pulse or crush until the mixture is very coarsely ground. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, oil the paper, and place salmon on top; fold the thin tail section under if the fillet is too large for the baking sheet. Brush salmon with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with peppercorn mixture. After beets have roasted for about 15 minutes, place salmon on the top rack of the oven and roast until just lightly pink in the center, about 15 minutes.
Loosen salmon from the parchment with a spatula, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer salmon to a platter. Spoon beets around salmon and sprinkle them with chives and parsley
