Red-Curry Roasted Salmon with Green Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Mint, and Basil

Apparently the peeps at Bon Appetit have as hard a time naming a recipe as I do! I thought that I was the only one that names recipes by simply throwing every ingredient into the title.

Actually, though, I should change the name because I had no mint or basil. It's not summer here, people, so no mint, no basil. And yes, I know, I had frozen basil, which I so thoughtfully froze at the height of my summer production. It's kind of funny really because the reason I chose this recipe was because a couple of weeks ago, I thawed one of the jars of basil and didn't use it all. So, I specifically chose this recipe to use up the basil, being the thrifty domestic goddess that I am. Only, when I looked in the fridge, I realized I had 2 jars of thawed basil. I couldn't really tell which was older. I wasn't sure if the fact that it was pureed in a bit of olive oil made it more or less susceptible to botulism. So, no mint, no basil.

This is from what has become, quite possibly, my very favorite cookbook, The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh. Seriously, 1,100 quick dishes for everynight cooking. What I really like is that even though they are quick and easy, they don't look quick and easy. Like today's recipe for Red Curry-Roasted Salmon with Green Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Mint and Basil. Just look at how pretty it was! And it was fabulous. Even without the mint and basil. The green bean, red bell pepper combination is wonderful and one that I plan on repeating.

Red Curry-Roasted Salmon with Green Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Mint, and Basil
Serves 4

4 6-ounce salmon fillets (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
8 ounces green beans, trimmed
1 red bell pepper, cut into long strips

1 tablespoon thinly sliced mint leaves (or not)
1 tablespoon thinly sliced basic leaves (or not)

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a heavy, large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place fish on half of the sheet. Whisk 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, the lime juice, and the curry pasted in a small bowl. Spread the curry mixture over the fish. Toss the green beans and the bell pepper in a medium bowl with the the rest of the oil (or just toss it on the baking sheet, like I did). Arrange the green beans and the peppers on the other half of the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Roast until the fish is just opaque in the center and the vegetables are tender, but still crisp, about 12 minutes. Plate the fish, and then toss the vegetables with the cooking juices in the pan with the mint and basil, serve.