Crunchy Broiled Salmon with Beets

Ingredients

• 3 large beets, red and golden
• 3 tablespoons panko
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless salmon fillets
• 1 small bunch of fresh thyme

Directions

1. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Peel the beets, then slice each one into 8 wedges. Add salt to the bubbling water and cook the beets until a knife slips in easily, about 25 minutes, depending on their size. Drain them and put them aside. If you are using both golden and red beets, cook the 2 colors in separate pots so the red ones do not tint the golden ones.
2. Heat the broiler. As the beets cook, get the panko ready. Combine the panko, 1 teaspoon olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small nonstick sauté pan. Set it over medium heat and stir frequently, cooking until the crumbs turn golden brown in less than 5 minutes. Spread them out in a single layer on a paper towel so they can cool without losing their crunch.
3. Rub each salmon fillet with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment, arrange 4 small nests of fresh thyme stems. Set a salmon fillet on top of each thyme nest, nudging the stems underneath the fish.
4. Coat the beets with 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus salt and pepper. Scatter them around and between the salmon fillets.
5. Broil the pan about 6 inches from the heat, using the 2nd rack position from the top, until the salmon is browned and crisp on the surface and cooked through, 15 minutes. For salmon that is less done, remove it after 10 to 12 minutes. An instant-read thermometer placed in the thickest section should read 130 degrees for medium rare or 150 degrees for well-done. Sprinkle the salmon with the rosemary panko crumbs and serve right away.