Crispy Garlic Salmon

Ellen is getting artsy with food photos. John was out of town over the weekend (hence the Sunday afternoon margaritas and double brunch line-up) and returned to me home early from work to cook dinner together. We picked up wild salmon and artichokes and made a dish I perfected in college when I was trying to be creative. It's pretty basic: chopped onion lines the bottom of a baking dish with a quarter inch of broth. Salmon fillets are placed on top of the onions so there's room between the salmon and the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the salmon in a little oil (I went for the truffle-infused olive oil from Nice this round) plus sea salt, coarsely cracked pepper, and TONS of chopped, grated or pressed garlic. Enough to smother the salmon. In the oven at 400, the salmon stays soft in the center but the garlic gets superbly crispy and crunchy. The onions lifting the salmon from the base of the pan add some sweet flavor and allow the fish oils to drain away from the fish. For the artichokes, we used my dad's famous dip: mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice and a pinch of garlic. Life would be oh so much sweeter if every night consisted of fresh fish and vegetables.