Salmon with Tarragon-Lemon Yogurt Sauce

This is a tangy spring-leaning sauce to brighten up broiled salmon with asparagus. I recently discovered the utility of Greek yogurt. It has great texture, making a creamy sauce that is much lighter (fat free) than if using sour cream.

 Since I don't have a mortar and pestle, I use the rounded end of a cocktail muddler to grind the garlic into a paste. A sprinkle of salt helps the process.

To trim asparagus, simply bend the stalks and let them break at their natural breaking point. Discard the thicker, tough ends (the ends without the buds).

Salmon and Asparagus with Tarragon-Lemon Yogurt Sauce

3/4 lb. salmon fillet
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
Seasoned salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 lb. of asparagus, ends trimmed

Yogurt sauce:
1 garlic clove
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1. To make the salmon, preheat broiler with oven rack in highest position (about 4-5 inches from broiler). Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, seasoned salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Place salmon fillet skin side down on baking sheet sprayed with olive oil. Spread garlic-oil mixture on flesh side. Broil 5 minutes, flip fillet and broil 5 minutes more. Remove charred salmon skin and check for doneness. Broil an additional minute if salmon isn't cooked enough. Cut fillet in half.

2. To make the asparagus, toss with olive oil and seasoned salt and broil for about 7-8 minutes (if you use a large baking pan, you can broil the salmon and asparagus side-by-side).

3. To make the sauce, chop the garlic, add to a bowl with a pinch of salt and grind to a fine paste. Add the other ingredients and stir to combine.

4. Serve salmon on top of asparagus topped with the yogurt sauce and a sprinkling of fresh tarragon leaves.