Salmon with Tomato Fondue

It always seemed strange to me that Passover is treated as a holiday of suffering.  Sure, we remember the suffering of the Israelis as they slaved in Egypt.  We even remember the suffering of the Egyptian soldiers who perished as we made our way to freedom.  But a holiday of suffering?  No.  Passover is a holiday of liberation.  A joyous celebration of the renewal and rebirth that comes with spring.  Just as we proclaim, "'Alleluia" to mark the resurrection of Christ, we are overwhelmed with the gladness brought by this season.

A few years ago, I decided that I was refusing to make Passover a holiday of suffering.  Why eat matzo when we don't like it?  Why fill our diet with bagels and cookies and cakes that pretend to be things other than what they are?  It's why many vegetarians eschew processed soy products that masquerade as meat.  Why can't we enjoy foods that we are allowed to eat, the many bounties offered to us in spring?  I turned cooking and eating during Passover into a ritual that honors the very renewal we gather to celebrate.

To that end, this salmon gives you much to celebrate.  The flaky fish, the warm and juicy tomatoes, the buttery sauce.  You may argue that tomatoes do not celebrate spring, and you would be correct.  Since Passover falls in April, not July or August, we cannot eat endless perfect tomatoes right off the vine.  But we can let the fish take center stage, complimented by the tomato sauce - even if the quality of the tomatoes is not as we wish.  Would I eat a fresh tomato plain right now?  No.  Would I cook them down to this nearly perfect sauce?  Absolutely.

My wife has come around to Passover because of potatoes.  Sweet potatoes allow her to practically enjoy the holiday.  For eight days, it's difficult to miss a side of rice or couscous or a nice piece of crusty bread when you can make potatoes and sweet potatoes in at least eight different ways.  Tossed with whichever spices would best compliment your main dish, you have a meal that I'd be willing to bet you would eat even if it weren't Passover.  And that's something to celebrate.

Salmon with Tomato Fondue
Serves 2

2 T olive oil
1 shallot
1 lb tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 T butter
salt and pepper
2 salmon fillets

In deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add shallot, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes over low heat.  Add tomatoes and butter, and season with salt and pepper.  If you would like this dish to be pareve, you can use margarine instead of butter, or you can leave it out entirely.  Cook until tomatoes release their liquid, about 3 minutes.

Transfer tomato fondue to another pot to keep warm.  Wipe out skillet, and add the second tablespoon of olive oil.  Season salmon with salt and pepper, and add to skillet, skin side down.  Cook for about 4 minutes, or until skin in browned.  Flip, and cook the other side, about 2 minutes.  Serve with tomato fondue.

I also roasted sweet potatoes, cubed into 1-inch pieces, with salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and a little bit of olive oil for 40 minutes at 425 degrees.