Salmon Fillets with Herbed Leeks

A bed of herbed leeks perfumes baked fish and makes a delicious garnish. Halibut or snapper would work as nicely as salmon.

For the fish:

• 4 salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 leaves fresh sage
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

For the leeks:

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 large or 4 medium leeks (root and dark green parts removed), diced (to yield 3 cups), washed, and dried
• 1/2 tsp. salt; more to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh sage
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper

Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Drizzle them lightly with olive oil, rub them with the sage and thyme, and spread with the lemon zest. Lay a sage leaf and a sprig of thyme on each fillet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to an hour.

Heat the oven to 400°F. In a wide, heavy sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil until very hot. Add the diced leeks, stir to coat well, and reduce the heat to medium low. Salt them lightly, stir again, and continue to cook slowly until the leeks are soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a few tablespoons of water if the pan gets too dry or the leeks are browning too much. Add the garlic, chopped herbs, salt, and pepper and cook for a few minutes until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Spread the leeks in the bottom of a 2-1/2-qt. ovenproof baking dish. Lay the fish fillets on top and bake until a paring knife inserted in the fish feels warm when touched to your lip, about 20 minutes. To serve, spoon the herbed leeks over each fillet.