Almond-Encrusted Wild Salmon Fillets
It’s just been an amazing summer for bounty in our household. Our garden is doing well and we’ve been the recipients of a fair amount of salmon from friends. Word must be getting out that it’s my favorite food ever! I’m never at a loss for what to do with it and welcome salmon with open arms. So, thank you to our friends who so graciously share.
Being able to pair garden fresh green beans and even garden fresh onions with our meals just adds to the experience. When our plants stop producing we’ll move to other in-season vegetables but for now I’m getting a kick out of ‘shopping’ in our back yard.
I found an interesting foraging website yesterday (from the Zero Waste Home book that I’ve been reading) that I thought I‘d pass along. http://urbanedibles.org/ All but one of the listings is in Portland but maybe some Clark County residents would like to log on and add their knowledge to it. I certainly enjoyed picking several pounds of blackberries last week from our neighborhood. My eyes went to the listing of 64 fig trees. We have a fig in our backyard that produces but something (squirrels?) inevitably strips the tree. My husband really wants to make his own fig jam because it’s such a great pairing with cheeses as we’ve learned from our travels in France and Italy. Maybe we’d do better to go foraging in Portland where the trees are more established. Hmmm, a field trip might be in order.
Wine Suggestion: 2011 Line Shack Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is showing potential for improving with age but it’s drinkable now. It’d be interesting to buy a bottle and open it in another year, though. I felt it was a bit sweet on its own and really needed to pair with the Salmon to appreciate it. Pour it and let it sit for several minutes to let it “open up”. When wine is exposed to the air (whether you aerate it with a purchased device, aggressively swirl it in your glass or simply let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes), it’ll soften the tannins and allow all the flavors in the wine to taste more balanced. Since a Cabernet Sauvignon is know for being a big red, it’s a prime candidate for aeration.
Almond-Encrusted Wild Salmon Fillets
Almond-encrusted salmon with mashed sweet potatoes and garden-fresh green beans
½ C coarsely ground almonds
¼ C chopped fresh parsley *I don’t use this
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (organic) *I don’t use this
Dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 6 oz wild salmon fillets
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 C mixed organic baby greens (arugula, mesclun, spinach, mustard) *I don’t use this
Grind almonds in a coffee grinder or food processor; don’t over grind. Mix ground almonds, parsley, grated lemon zest, salt and pepper on a plate. Dry salmon, dredge salmon on both sides in the almond mixture. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook about 5 minutes on each side, making sure the salmon is cooked through. Arrange 1 cup of greens on each of 2 plates. Transfer hot salmon fillet to plates. Serves 2. Note: I put the salmon fillets on an olive oil greased glass pie plate and bake in a 400° oven for 12 – 20 minutes.
Recipe taken from http://www.dailyperricone.com/2013/02/the-ultimate-valentines-day-dinner-almond-encrusted-wild-salmon-fillets/
Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.