Salmon with Parsley Pesto and Peas is an easy spring recipe, featuring quickly pan seared salmon topped with a zesty pesto. You can have this healthy meal on the table in 20 minutes, easy peasy!
After getting hit with a mid-March blizzard earlier this week, I am ready for the fresh, light flavors that are the hallmark of spring cooking. Don’t get me wrong, I like my comfort food, but I’m ready for dishes like the Salmon with Parsley Pesto and Peas we are serving up for today’s Sunday Supper event hosted by Anne from Simple and Savory.
For today’s Sunday Supper there is also a focus on Easy Spring Recipes. I’m all about easy meals when spring rolls in, as it won’t be long until most of our suppers are quickly put together after an evening at the baseball field. Our Salmon with Parsley Pesto takes 20 minutes max to put together, but it is loaded with bright, clean flavors and plenty of nutritional value.
Topping seafood with pesto is a regular happening here in our house. I can make a pretty simple initial preparation of the seafood, which suits our 11 year old’s palate, then add more flavor on my serving of fish. I will often make enough pesto to also toss with some pasta. My wife isn’t a big seafood fan, and will often just go for a vegetarian meal of pasta when I do the seafood / pesto thing.
In fact, you will notice there is side of kale pesto pasta alongside the salmon with parsley pesto and peas. Plenty of green on that plate!
If I’ve sold you on the merits of combining seafood and pesto, be sure to check out my Orzo with Grilled Swordfish and Kale Pesto recipe.
Making Salmon with Parsley Pesto
This Salmon with Parsley Pesto relies on my go to method for cooking salmon on the stove top. I adapted from a great cookbook, Stir: Mixing It Up In The Italian Tradition
by
Barbara Lynch. You get a nonstick skillet good and hot, then sear the
salmon skin side down for 4 to 5 minutes, followed by another 2 minutes
of searing skin side up.As you can see in the photo below, this approach gets the skin blistered up and slight burnt on the edges. But meanwhile the salmon flesh is cooking up nicely! When the skin gets like this, it is easy to remove before serving.
I like to get a tail piece of salmon, without the pins, and that 7 minutes is usually enough. If you have a thicker piece of salmon, you might need to add a couple more minutes for a whopping total of 10 minutes of cooking.
The salmon here is moist, tender and flavorful. The zesty parsley pesto along with that bit of lemon adds a tasty contrast to the flavors of the fish. I get the pesto made before I start working on the salmon, so that the pesto is already to go once the fish is done.
Peas alongside the salmon add a nice reminder that spring is just about here! A substantial side bringing plenty of good nutrition.
Wine Pairing for Salmon with Parsley Pesto
A medium bodied white wine is my inclination for this salmon recipe, to pair with the pesto. A Pinot Gris or Italian white like a good Soave could work nicely. Other good options include Sauvignon Blanc, or perhaps open your first rosé of the spring! If you for a rosé, choose a more full bodied style to pair with the salmon.
Salmon with Parsley Pesto and Peas
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Quickly pan seared salmon topped with fresh parsley pesto served with a side of peas makes a great spring meal.
Author: Cooking Chat
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: American
Serves: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ozs wild salmon
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp soy sauce sauce
- 3 cups peas, fresh or frozen
- butter to serve with the peas
- PARSLEY PESTO
- 1 cup parsley
- 3 clove garlic
- 2 tsp pumpkin seed, lightly toasted
- Tsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- MAKE THE PARSLEY PESTO: Combing the parsley, garlic and pumpkin seed in a food processor. Pulse to combine the ingredients. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and pulse again. Set the food processor aside.
- PREPARE THE SALMON: Combine the canola oil, soy sauce and orange juice in a large bowl.
- Rinse and pat dry the salmon. Add the salmon to the bowl with the marinade. Gently turn the salmon over so that both sides are coated. Let the salmon soak in the marinade briefly as the pan heats.
- Coat a nonstick skillet with oil spray, and heat on medium high. When the pan is hot, add the salmon skin side down.
- Cook the salmon for 4 to 5 minutes skin side down. Use a spatula to turn the salmon over, and cook for another 2 minutes skin side up.
- Turn the salmon back to skin side down after 2 minutes. At this point it may be done, or need another couple of minutes to finish cooking. Don't overcook the salmon, some of the flesh should still be dark orange for moist fish. When ready, remove the salmon to a platter.
- COOK THE PEAS as the salmon cooks. I typically use frozen peas this time of year. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the peas so they are ready to serve.
- Portion the salmon into 3 to 4 oz portions and plate. Top with a bit of the parsley pesto, and plate a side of peas. Pass extra pesto at the table and enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment