The Gourmet Review

This delicious Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde recipe is an adaptation from Giada De Laurentis on the  Food Network. Now, I consider myself something of an expert when it comes to salmon, but I must admit the fresh citrus juice of oranges and lemons, combined with fresh mint and parsley,  give this dish a unique flavor. It’s great year round, but especially refreshing for summer.

SERVES:       4

CITRUS SALSA VERDE

INGREDIENTS

2  large oranges

1/4     cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4     cup fresh lemon juice

1/2    cup fresh chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2   scallions, finely sliced

3   tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

2   tablespoons orange zest

l   teaspoon lemon zest

l   teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional: If you can get fresh crab, and I love Dungeness crab legs, it is an elegant touch.

SALMON

Vegetable or canola oil for oiling the grill

4   (4 – 5 oz) center cut salmon fillets, skinned, each about 3 inches square

2  tablespoons amber agave nectar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS 

For the salsa. Peel and trim the ends from each orange. Using a paring knife, cut along the membranes on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl.  Then squeeze what remains of orange membranes to extract all remaining juice. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, orange zest, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the salmon.

Put a grill pan over medium high heat if cooking indoors. Or preheat a gas or charcoal grill outdoors. I prefer an outdoor grill, but if not accessible, then the grill pan on the stove is a great substitute.

Brush the grilling rack/pan with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking.

Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar  (you can also substitute extra virgin olive oil or infuse olive oil overnight with fresh garlic cloves if you prefer something less sweet).

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked to your liking. For fish that is cooked through, that would be about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. I like my salmon cooked medium  and slightly pink in the middle, so finish the fish to your liking.

Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

PRESENTATION

Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment.

NOTES

The original recipe calls for adding 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and coursely chopped, to the salsa. I happen to be allergic to capers and so I eliminate this ingredient.

The salsa can be used on a variety of fish, if you can’t get salmon. The cooking time for the salmon is about 8 minutes and prep time is about 10 minutes.

You may notice that the salmon in this photo is white, which is quite rare. It’s a hit or miss when salmon arrive from Alaska. If you want to try any kind of seafood and don’t have access to fresh, wild caught salmon in particular, just email me and I will give you contact information with distributor that I have used for years.

– The Gourmet Review