Recipe: Baked salmon with vegetables and sumac-citrus vinaigrette from Siena

This week, we’re sharing a recipe for baked salmon with vegetables and sumac-citrus vinaigrette from Siena in Alpharetta.

“Siena is rooted in Mediterranean and Italian cuisine, but rather than focusing on a single region, we draw inspiration from the entire coastline,” said Siena Chef Baba Estavillo, who formerly worked in corporate culinary leadership roles at Marriott International.

After years at Marriott, Estavillo traded the gig for entrepreneurship and launched a culinary consulting business.

“Today, my work centers on building restaurants from the ground up: developing menus, training teams, shaping brand identity, and creating experiences that feel intentional, soulful, and memorable,” she said.

Estavillo said this salmon dish was inspired by her love for acidity and spice, rather than heat, as tools for brightness. “Sumac is traditionally associated with Middle Eastern cuisine, but I was equally drawn to its presence in Southern Italian and Sicilian cooking, where citrus-forward profiles, preserved flavors, and spice accents are common,” she said.

Sumac’s presence in Italian and Sicilian cuisine is a perfect example of the trans-Mediterranean overlap that Siena’s ethos emodies. “The sumac allows the dish to feel grounded in tradition, while still expressing our broader Mediterranean narrative,” Estavillo said.

Estavillo strongly recommends sourcing seafood, produce, and pantry staples from local purveyors like a farmers market and Pure Chilean olive oil.

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Ingredients

Salmon

• 4 salmon fillets (6 to 7 ounces each)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground sumac
• Zest of 1 lemon

Vegetables

• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 1/2 cups heirloom potatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup shaved fennel
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced radish
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Dressing

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• 1 1/2 – 2 tsp ground sumac (or to taste)
• 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the vegetables: Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower and potatoes with olive, oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Spread cauliflower and potatoes on a sheet pan. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
3. Add asparagus and fennel, toss lightly, and return to the oven until tender and lightly caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove vegetables from oven and fold in radish while still hot to keep it crisp.
5. Prepare the salmon: Pat the salmon dry. Rub with olive oil, salt, pepper, sumac, and lemon zest.
6. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness. (Aim for an internal temperature of 125–130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-moist fish.)
7. Remove from oven and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk orange juice, lemon juice, zest, sumac, garlic, Dijon, and honey or syrup.
9. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 5 minutes before using.
10. Plate salmon and vegetables. Add vinaigrette and serve.