Baked Salmon Fillets with Salsa Verde

SALSA VERDE

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup sliced blanched almonds
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Vegetable oil, for brushing Two 3-pound salmon fillets, skin on Lemon wedges, for serving

A chilled, whole poached salmon with herb mayonnaise has been the centerpiece of many a buffet.

To make the salsa verde, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process all of the ingredients except the oil. With the machine running, gradually add the oil. Process, occasionally stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the salsa is smooth, about 45 seconds. Set aside.
Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Brush a 2-foot-long sheet of extrawide aluminum foil well with oil. Rub your fingers over the surface of one fillet and use tweezers to remove any stray bones. (Sterilize the tweezers first over an open flame.) Place the fillet, skin side down, on the foil and spread with half of the salsa. Bring the long sides of the foil up to meet over the fillet, and fold tightly to seal. Fold the short sides closed. Place on a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fillet and salsa.
Bake for 20 minutes. Switch the positions of the fillets from top to bottom. Continue baking until the fish is done, about 20 minutes more. To check for doneness, open the foil and insert a knife between the flakes of meat in the center of the fillets—the flesh will be evenly opaque or have just a blush of pink in the center.
Open the foil and let the fillets stand until cooled to room temperature. Rewrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, slide the fillets onto a platter. Cut the salmon on the platter into individual portions. Serve with the lemon wedges on the side.