Pan Seared Pesto Salmon Food

SALMON & PESTO-DRESSED VEG

Steps:

• For the pesto, peel the garlic and add half to a jug with the pine nuts. Pick in the basil leaves and blitz until finely chopped.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil-you need just enough to give it an oozy consistency - then finely grate and stir through the Parmesan. Give the mixture a final blitz, then halve the lemon and add a squeeze of juice to taste, then season with a pinch of black pepper.
• Scrub the potatoes, then trim the beans and broccoli. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, adding the beans and the broccoli for the final 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Rub the salmon fillets all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the hot pan, skin-side down, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 4 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp.
• Turn the fillets over, then cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat, rest for 30 seconds, then add a good squeeze of lemon juice and give the pan a shake.
• Drain the vegetables well, then tip into a large bowl. Add the pesto, then toss to coat.
• Divide the salmon and vegetables between plates, drizzle over the pan juices, then cut the remaining lemon into wedges for squeezing over.

PESTO SALMON

Steps:

• Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray.
• Place each salmon fillet in the baking pan and drizzle with olive oil.
• Apply freshly ground pepper to taste over each fillet.
• Gently spread pesto sauce over each fillet.
• Sprinkle parmesean cheese over each fillet.
• Optional: Place plum tomatoes slices on each fillet and sprinkle with a bit of additional parmesean cheese.
• Bake prepared salmon fillets in a 350 oven for approximately 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

PESTO SALMON

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
• Place the cherry tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons pesto, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat, then spread into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the tomatoes and onion for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and with a spatula, stir them around a little to promote even cooking, then return to the oven for 10 additional minutes.
• Meanwhile, pat the salmon fillets dry. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the remaining pesto over each fillet.
• Rub the pesto on with your fingers or the back of a small spoon as needed. Make sure each fillet is completely covered in pesto.
• Remove the sheet pan from the oven and move the tomatoes and onions to the outsides to make space for the salmon in the center. Arrange the salmon fillets down the center of the baking sheet, skin-side down.
• Return the pan to the oven and bake the pesto salmon until the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 16 to 20 minutes.*
• Sprinkle the salmon with a pinch of additional kosher salt and squeeze lemon over the top. Top with fresh basil as desired. Enjoy!

SORREL PISTACHIO PESTO WITH SEARED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat while you prepare the pesto. Remove the salmon from refrigerator to come to room temperature.
• Separate the sorrel stems from the leaves, and then discard the stems (especially if it's later in the sorrel season, when the stems are fibrous and tough). You should have about 4 packed cups of sorrel leaves.
• Combine the pistachios and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of coarse sand. Add the sorrel and pulse until all of the leaves are chopped and incorporated into the nuts. With the machine running, slowly add up to 3/4 cup of olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Season with about 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of pesto on the bottom of each plate. Transfer the remaining pesto to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent it from turning brown. For best use, keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
• Blot excess moisture from the salmon with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is shimmering, carefully place the salmon in the pan skin-side down to avoid any splattering oil. Don't worry if the salmon skin seems stuck to the pan, after about 2 minutes it will release. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the skin is crisp and brown, about 4 minutes total. Flip over and cook until the salmon is firm to the touch (it would still be a bit translucent in the center if you peeked), an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place the salmon skin-side up on each plate and serve.

PESTO-CRUSTED SALMON FILLET WITH CITRUS-SOY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a 12-inch non-stick saute pan over a high flame. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add a small amount of oil to the pan and sear both sides of the salmon quickly, just a few seconds on each side, leaving the fish very rare. Remove the pan from the heat, and place the fish on a work surface. Wipe out the pan and reserve for later use.
• Spread a 1/4-inch layer of pesto evenly over 1 side of the fillet. Sprinkle the top of the pesto with a light, thin dusting of fresh bread crumbs. Carefully invert each fillet into the pan and place it over a medium flame. Toast the bread coating, adding tiny bits of butter to the pan that will melt into the salmon underneath. Once the bread is toasted (after about 1 minute), place the pan in the oven for about 3 minutes, just to heat the fish through.
• To serve, mound 1/6 of the spinach in the center of a warm dinner plate. Invert 1 salmon fillet onto the spinach, crust-side up, and ladle citrus soy sauce around the sides. Place 1 orange segment on top of 1 grapefruit segment in the sauce at 3 different points on the plate.
• In the bowl of a food processor place, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the basil and process again. With the motor running, add the oil in a stream slowly, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add bread crumbs a little at a time, just enough to make pesto spreadable. Process and repeat until the pesto is the right consistency. Remove from food processor and set aside until ready to use.
• In a non-reactive saucepan, saute the ginger in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. Deglaze the pan with white wine, champagne vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and all 3 fruit juices. Reduce the liquid volume down to 1 cup. Add the chicken stock, bring it to a boil, and cook another 3 minutes. Strain, pushing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, and place the liquid into a blender or food processor. With the motor running on low, add the remaining olive oil in a slow stream until all the oil is incorporated.
• Wash spinach thoroughly and drain, leaving some of the water clinging to the leaves. In a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, saute the spinach in a small amount of olive oil until it is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain excess moisture, season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Peel potatoes and slice thin in a criss-cross cut on the zig-zag part of the mandolin. Lay out the slices on a baking sheet. Brush with clarified butter and bake until crisp, about 12 minutes.

SEARED SALMON WITH LINGUINE AND RAMP PESTO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup ramp bulbs and stems to skillet and sauté just until soft but not browned, reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning, about 5 minutes. Transfer sautéed ramps to processor (do not clean skillet). Add green tops, cheese, almonds, and tarragon to processor; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil and puree until almost smooth. Transfer pesto to bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
• Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add all but 1/4 cup pesto and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates. Top with salmon. Spread remaining 1/4 cup pesto over fish and serve.
• Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.
• **Tender Spanish almonds that are usually sold roasted and salted; available at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores and from tienda.com.