Wild Salmon with Fresh Cranberry-Horseradish Relish, Roasted Delicata, Brussels Sprouts, and Wilted Greens

Rich wild salmon roasted until just silky, topped with a bright, zingy fresh cranberry-horseradish relish, alongside caramelized delicata squash rings, crispy Brussels sprouts, and a tangle of garlicky wilted greens. It's a jewel-toned autumn plate that tastes like the holidays without any heaviness.

Yield: Serves 4 · Active: 30 min · Total: 50 min · Best in North America in fall, when cranberries, delicata, and Brussels sprouts are harvested (fresh wild salmon season runs roughly May through September, so frozen-at-sea wild salmon is perfect in fall and winter) · Best eaten: early evening

Complete Menu

• Roasted Wild Salmon

• Fresh Cranberry-Horseradish Relish

• Roasted Delicata Squash

• Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• Garlicky Wilted Greens

Your Game Plan

• Up to 2 days ahead: Make the cranberry-horseradish relish, which gets better as it rests.

• About 50 min out: Heat the oven to 425°F. The delicata and Brussels sprouts go in.

• About 20 min out: Season the salmon. Turn the oven down to 400°F (the vegetables can finish at the lower temperature) and slide the salmon in.

• About 8 min out: Wilt the greens.

• Plate and spoon the relish over the salmon.

Recipe 1 — Fresh Cranberry-Horseradish Relish

Ingredients

• 1½ cups fresh cranberries (or frozen, thawed)

• 1–2 tbsp freshly grated horseradish root (or 1–2 tbsp prepared horseradish)

• Zest of 1 orange, plus 2 tbsp juice

• 2–3 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup, to taste

• 1 small shallot, finely minced

• Pinch of Baja Gold sea salt

Method

1. Pulse. Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped but not puréed.

2. Mix. Stir in the horseradish, orange zest and juice, honey, shallot, and salt. Start with 1 tbsp horseradish and add more to taste; fresh horseradish is much stronger than prepared.

3. Rest at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld and the honey softens the cranberries' tartness.

Prefer a softer sauce? Simmer the cranberries with the orange juice and honey for 5–7 minutes, until they burst, then cool and stir in the horseradish, zest, shallot, and salt. Adding the horseradish after cooking keeps its bright bite.

Recipe 2 — Roasted Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1 large delicata squash, halved, seeded, and cut into ½-inch half-moons (no need to peel)

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or melted ghee, divided

• ¾ tsp Baja Gold sea salt

• ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• A few sprigs fresh thyme

Method

1. Toss the delicata and Brussels sprouts with the oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Use two sheet pans so everything has room to brown.

2. Roast the Brussels sprouts cut-side down, at 425°F for 25–30 minutes, flipping the delicata halfway, until caramelized and tender, with crispy edges on the sprouts.

Recipe 3 — Roasted Wild Salmon

Ingredients

• 4 wild salmon fillets (about 6 oz each, skin on)

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• ¾ tsp Baja Gold sea salt

• ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• Zest of ½ orange

Method

1. Season. Pat the salmon dry, rub it with the olive oil, and season with the salt, pepper, and orange zest.

2. Roast skin-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 400°F for 10–14 minutes, depending on thickness, until it just flakes at the thickest point and reads about 125°F for a silky center.

Recipe 4 — Garlicky Wilted Greens

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch kale, Swiss chard, or spinach (or a mix), tough stems removed, leaves torn

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• Pinch of Baja Gold sea salt

• Squeeze of fresh lemon

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the greens and salt (kale first, since it needs a minute longer). Toss 2–4 minutes, until just wilted, and finish with lemon.

Plating

Pile the wilted greens on each plate, set the salmon on top, and spoon a generous mound of cranberry-horseradish relish over it. Arrange the roasted delicata and Brussels sprouts alongside, and finish with a little extra orange zest and a pinch of flaky salt.

Storage

• Cooked salmon: Refrigerated up to 2 days. Lovely cold over greens with the relish

• Cranberry-horseradish relish: Refrigerated up to 1 week

• Roasted delicata and Brussels sprouts: Refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat at 400°F for 5–8 minutes

• Wilted greens: Refrigerated up to 3 days

Leftover transformations: Flake leftover salmon over greens with roasted delicata and a spoonful of relish for a festive lunch salad, or fold it into pastured eggs for breakfast.

Support for the Female Infradian Rhythm

This plate supports every phase of your cycle. Wild salmon is one of the richest sources of omega-3s (EPA and DHA), which help calm menstrual inflammation and cramps, plus vitamin D and selenium. Brussels sprouts and horseradish bring glucosinolates that support estrogen metabolism through Phase 2 liver detoxification. Delicata squash offers beta-carotene and steady carbohydrate for the luteal phase, and the greens bring magnesium, folate, and calcium.

Nourishment Notes

Wild salmon — omega-3s (EPA and DHA), vitamin D, selenium, B12, complete protein, and astaxanthin, the antioxidant behind its deep color.

Cranberries — proanthocyanidins, vitamin C, and fiber. Eaten fresh in the relish, they keep all of their vitamin C.

Horseradish — a cousin of mustard and wasabi, whose fiery bite comes from glucosinolates that turn into isothiocyanates when grated.

Delicata squash — beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber, with an edible, tender skin.

Brussels sprouts — glucosinolates (the precursors to sulforaphane and DIM), vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate.

Kale, chard, and spinach — vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and calcium. The lemon's vitamin C helps your body absorb their plant iron.

Orange, garlic, and shallot — vitamin C, d-limonene, allicin, and quercetin.

Raw honey — trace minerals and enzymes, kept intact in the fresh relish.

Extra virgin olive oil — oleic acid and polyphenols.

Sourcing

• Wild salmon — wild Alaskan sockeye, coho, or king, from Vital Choice or a trusted fishmonger. Fresh wild salmon is in season roughly May through September; frozen-at-sea is excellent year-round (wild seafood can't be certified organic)

• Cranberries — organic, fresh in fall (Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and the Pacific Northwest harvest them from September through November) or frozen

• Horseradish — fresh organic horseradish root, grated just before using, or prepared horseradish made with just horseradish, vinegar, and salt (many brands add oils, sugar, or preservatives)

• Delicata squash, Brussels sprouts, and greens — organic, from a farmers' market

• Oranges, lemons, shallot, garlic, and thyme — organic, hardneck garlic

• Raw honey or maple syrup — organic, local, and unfiltered raw honey, or organic Grade A dark maple syrup

• Extra virgin olive oil — organic, single-estate, harvest-dated within the past year, in dark glass

• Salt — Baja Gold sea salt; Maldon or fleur de sel de Guérande for finishing

— Anna aka Food Marshall