Baked Lemon Salmon with Garlic Green Beans

Lemon and salmon have been partners for a long time, and there's a good reason for it. Lemon brightens the rich, oily flesh of the fish so you don't need much else. Here the slices go right on top of the fillets while they bake, and as they soften they perfume the fish and the pan juices. I like to spoon those juices over the salmon when it comes out of the oven, because they make a light sauce without any fuss.

A quick word on the salmon itself. Fillets of this thickness cook more evenly than thin tails, so they hold their moisture well in a moderate oven. Pull them when they flake easily at the thickest point. They keep cooking a little from residual heat, so it's better to check a minute early than to find them dry on the plate.

The green beans are where the dish gets its bit of crunch. Steaming them for about seven minutes keeps them bright and just tender, and draining them well matters more than you'd think, because wet beans won't take on the garlicky oil. Let the sliced garlic sizzle gently rather than browning it hard, since it turns bitter if it catches. A minute in the pan is all the beans need once they're coated. The toasted almonds go on at the very end so they stay crisp.

If you have leftover salmon, flake it cold into a bowl with a spoonful of plain yogurt, a little lemon juice and some chopped herbs, and you have a good lunch for the next day. Leftover green beans are nice cold, tossed into a grain salad or a bowl of leaves with a squeeze of lemon. Store both in covered containers in the fridge and eat within a day or two.

For serving, I'd keep the plate simple. Some boiled new potatoes or a spoonful of brown rice soak up the lemony juices nicely. If you want something lighter on the side, a bowl of sliced tomatoes with a little salt and basil works well. For a fuller spread, you could also try a tender green bean dish with sweet red onions alongside, or a crispy sesame salmon with a green bean salad if you're cooking for a crowd and want a second fish dish to compare.

This is the sort of meal I make on a weeknight when I want something that tastes like I've tried harder than I have. It asks for one baking dish, one steamer and one small pan, and most of the work happens while the oven does its thing.