Sautéed Salmon with Roasted Beet Thickened Yogurt Salad

1 pound whole salmon fillet
1 bunch red beets with greens
12 oz. yogurt
One clove garlic
Fresh dill, about a T. chopped
A few drops fresh lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Canola or grapeseed oil
Cheesecloth

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the cheesecloth under cool water. Fold it over one and then a second so you have four layers, and then use it to line a strainer placed over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth and set aside to drain. This will take anywhere from two to six hours depending on how thick you prefer it, so it can’t hurt to refrigerate it. Roasting the beets bring out their sweetness, which is essential to this dish. I look for beets with the greens attached because it seems the fresher they are, the sweeter they are. Plus the greens make for an effortless side dish cooked up with chopped onion, seasoning, and olive oil. First, trim the greens leaving a couple inches of the stalk on the beets. Rinse the beets and poke each one with a knife so they can release steam when they roast. Place the beets in an oven-proof container like a ceramic dish or stainless steel pot with a quarter inch of water and cover tightly with a lid or foil. Pop them in the oven, and depending on size they can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes or more. Check them in about 40 minutes. They should offer no resistance when you pierce them with a paring knife, otherwise keep roasting. Set aside and cool. This can be done a day in advance, just refrigerate the cooled beets. To assemble the dish make sure the yogurt is nice and thick. It will have lost as least half the water, and will look like soft cream cheese. Peel the beets, the skin will slip off easily with a little help from a knife, and then grate them and set aside. Take a peeled clove of garlic and mince. Add a generous pinch of salt and mash the garlic with the flat side of a chef’s knife by swiveling it back and forth. This method turns it into a paste by drawing out the juices, maximizing the garlic flavor. It’s a great technique for flavoring home-made mayonnaise. Just don’t overdo it! Add the garlic, thickened yogurt, chopped dill and a little salt and pepper to the grated beets. Mix well – it will turn a shockingly bright fuchsia. Taste and adjust the seasonings. It might need a few drops of lemon juice for balance. Then put in a clean container and refrigerate. Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry. If it’s a whole fillet, remove the pin bones with a pair of sturdy tweezers or needle nose pliers. Season the fish on both sides. Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat and when hot add a T. of oil. Slip the fish in skin side down and sauté. It should sound like a gentle hiss rather than sputtering and popping. After about 7-8 minutes the side of the fish will start to look cook. Flip the filet. If you want it medium rare, keep it on for 2 minutes more. If you like it cooked most of the way through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve on a platter or oval dish with the beet salad spooned around the salmon and garnish the salmon with chopped dill