Quick-Cooked Salmon with Fall Vegetable Pistou
This recipe gives salmon a Mediterranean flair. You can use different vegetables or make your pesto with arugula instead of basil—whatever is fresh.
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1⁄2 cup pine nuts
- 1⁄2 cup finely grated pecorino or
- Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 cups vegetable or fish stock or broth
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
- 1 cup broccoli florets (immerse in boiling water for about 2 minutes to blanch)
- 1 cup cauliflower (immerse in boiling water for about 2 minutes to blanch)
- 1 cup cooked fava, soy, or cranberry beans (or use canned, drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups new or fingerling potatoes, boiled until tender, drained, and diced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 20-ounce wild Alaskan salmon fillet
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Pistou is the French version of Italy’s pesto, both include fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, and olive oil to make a savory green paste.
- Make the pesto: Put the garlic in a food processor and process until well minced. Add the pine nuts, cheese, and 1/2 cup of the olive oil, and pulse until well ground. Add the basil leaves and 1/2 cup more olive oil, and puree until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the stock over high heat. Add the carrots, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer.
- Swirl the pesto into the vegetable mixture a little at a time, reserving a little for garnishing at the end. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan and heat on high until the oil ripples and just begins to smoke. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place the fish, presentation side down (the side you will want up when you serve it), into the pan. Give the pan a quick shake immediately, then do not move until the salmon looks crispy on the edges, about 5 minutes.
- Carefully turn the salmon and sear on the opposite side. Cook until the desired doneness. (I like to serve this rare to medium-rare, which takes about 5 more minutes.) Put the salmon on a platter and cut into 4 equal pieces.
- Pour the pistou-vegetable sauce into four shallow bowls and place a piece of salmon on top of each. Garnish with a dollop of the pistou.