Cilantro and pepita seeds give this pesto for salmon a Latin vibe. Seared Salmon with Cilantro-Pepita Pesto.
Seared Salmon with Cilantro-Pepita Pesto
Print This Recipe Yield 4Source Adapted from Bon ApetitPublished
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
- ½ cup green pepita seeds, raw, plus more as garnish
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 pinch cumin seeds
- 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 pinch each kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 (six-ounce) salmon fillets with skin
- 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
Directions
Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and sauté until they sizzle and pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Wipe the skillet clean with a papper towel and reserve skillet.
Pulse the pumpkin seeds, cilantro, coriander seeds, cumin, and garlic in a food processor until a course, grainy texture is acheived. With machine running, gradually add the lime juice, and ¼ cup oil. If necessary add a tablespoon or two of water to achieve a thick puréed texture. Season with salt, pepper.
Wash and completely dry the salmon fillets.
Heat the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil in the large reserved cast iron or non-stick skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is very hot; add the salmon, skin side down. Cook it until the skin is very crisp, dark brown and releases easily from the pan. This should take 3 to 4 minutes. Do not be tempted to check or move the fish around in the pan during this time. You will only succeed in making it stick to the pan or worse ruin your beautifully crisp skin.
Once the skin has crisped flip the fish, and cook it an additional 1 to 2 minutes more, until the flesh is nearly (but not quite) opaque in the center. Do not let it cook all the way through. The fish will continue to cook after it leaves the pan. Your goal is a succulent flesh graduating from a medium rare center outwards to a crispy crackly skin.
Place the seared fillets on plates, skin side down. Spoon pesto over. Garnish with remaining raw pepito seeds. Serve with lime wedges.
Well, it’s never late:) I love, love, love cioppino and any other hearty fish soup out there! My girls cannot wait to go to Serbia to eat at the pontoon-restaurant on the river close to my home town: copper cauldrons of fish soup on the table, grilled trout, excellent freshly baked rolls, and wonderful wine. not to mention the view.
But I would eat cioppino in a closet if I had to:)
have I never made cioppino, but I’ve never even had a bowl. Yours looks so beautiful, I’ll have to change that sad fact soon.
This looks absolutely delicious!
looks absolutely delicious!
I’m drawn to any dish that has seafood and this dish looks delicious. Thanks for sharing!
… that’s a mighty fine looking soup. I just know it smelled and tasted wonderful.
I kept waiting and waiting Greg but my young fancy never quite turned to fish. Still, I would fancy this lovely dish. Perhaps things would be different if I had tried this fish at 13? We will never know. But this I do know, I have never made this dish. Its one of those things I order when out. The length of the ingredient list is the culprit I’m afraid. This looks lovely! Beautiful photo!
favorite soups ever. Clam chowda whaaaa?
Cioppino is so simple, and yet so lovely. This looks like a gorgeous version.
How marvelous this looks, Greg! Don’t know how it can get much better than this for a pescatarian. It has all the best ingredients!
me too! The best fish soup I know. I’ll take extra salmon pleas 🙂
Indeed this would be perfect with freshly baked sourdough bread…I’ll definitely try this the soonest.
Certainly my favorite seafood soup too…so many types of fish with a comforting tomato broth! Your recipe looks tasty!
i’ve always wanted to try this dish, and you are definitely inspiring me to make that a priority. your version looks and sounds so delicious!
I was very late to the seafood party — my dad never liked fish, so my mom never made it while growing up. Asian Fail!! But I have to say cioppino was one of the early “ladder drugs” that got me into digging seafood. Your recipe looks fantastic! I’m always looking for a way to get the broth just right, as it’s 100% magic when it’s got that great balance of complex flavors and a kick of spice. And by the way, very belated thank you for the birthday wishes on the blog last week! I’m getting forgetful in my old age.
I love it when people are clever with words. Good job. GREG
Yum, yum, yum! One of my favorites soups! I don’t make it nearly enough since my husband doesn’t like tomatoes and fish together–what does he know? I love it. Your recipe has all the good stuff I like.
One of my favorites — just lovely.
I can’t spell it but I love your recipe, especially the addition of calamari -
I’ve never heard of Cioppino, it looks lovely.
Young at heart!