Blood Orange and Harissa Roasted Salmon

Let’s face it: The last few years have been different, especially around holiday times, or as my friends in Israel say, “Chag.” We could not all be together, and when Passover arrived, it was a seder for two instead of a seder for many. Some of the sheer beauty in the seder is having everyone participate, from the oldest to the youngest members around the table. The word “seder” means “order,” and our seders have a sense of order and symbolism. Everything we eat represents our past, our history and our bittersweet story.

I want this Passover to be when we can all sit together and learn more deeply about our food and why we eat it (check out my modern seder plate ideas). I chose salmon as my entrée this year. Last year, I made a tzimmes brisket, but meat has become very expensive and briskets can be quite costly. Since salmon has all different price points, you can choose what kind of salmon you use based on how much you’ve budgeted. I use four pounds of salmon filet.

The recipe is fast and simple. I use ingredients that play into bright and flavorful fruits we find this time of year. Blood oranges always make their way around March and April, so it’s the perfect partner to bring that pop of citrus. Harissa is a Tunisian red chili paste that just makes everything taste better. I buy my jars of harissa at Middle Eastern markets. For this recipe, I use an aluminum disposable pan to prep and roast because the salmon cooks at a very high temperature.