Chef Alexander Smalls, a renowned culinary genius and also accomplished musician, adds a unique twist to the classic salmon dinner. He enhances his herb-crusted, Roasted Salmon by adding a generous heaping of skillet vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes, following a style he dubs Southern revival cooking. This is a culinary approach where South Carolina low country food gets a novel twist through the herbs and techniques he'd picked up while touring Europe during his formative years as an opera singer, a concept writer Veronica Chambers had examined back in 1998.

However, there's no universal answer when it comes to the appropriate temperature for cooking salmon. The right heat level largely depends on a recipe's individual aspects and chosen cooking methods. In this case, Smalls opts to roast an entire large fillet at a somewhat high 450°F, a method that cooks the fish swiftly while maintaining juiciness. The increased heat lends the salmon a delightful glaze and enables the herbs to form a crispy exterior on the fillet.

Matching salmon with a diverse array of vegetables is an excellent move, adding a variety of flavors and textures. In alignment with this philosophy, Smalls accompanies his herb-roasted salmon fillets with a blend of Creole vegetables seasoned with nutmeg, cayenne powder, garlic, minced chile, and thyme. Each ingredient in the medley is prepared separately for optimal cooking before being brought together to complete the dish. Roast-hardy vegetables share the oven with the salmon, while okra and shiitake mushrooms are prepared in a skillet separately. As a stylistic choice, Smalls uses skinless salmon fillets, which simplifies plating and gives the finished dish a polished look.

Following Small's guideline, below is the recipe to recreate his specialty.

A simple, but flavorful herb roasted salmon using olive oil, minced onion, celery and garlic along with freshly grated nutmeg and sage and rosemary leaves. It is roasted in the oven until glazed and well cooked. Complementing the delicious salmon are Creole vegetables that include sweet potatoes, garlic, shallots, thyme, nutmeg, okra, shiitake mushrooms, and fresh cayenne chile or jalapeño. These are prepared separately, ensuring each ingredient is cooked to perfection, to then be combined and served alongside the salmon.

Warm, hearty, and loaded with flavors, this dish brings together the best of two continents, offering a meal sure to impress even the most discerning of palates. Whether you prefer your salmon skinless or skin-on, Chef Alexander Smalls' recipe is bound to become a favorite.