Alaska Salmon with Tomato & Fennel Soffritto, Tahini Sauce and Pine Nut Dukkah
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Alaska salmon
- 3 tablespoon neutral oil
For dukkah
- 2 tablespoons toasted coriander & cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons toasted white and black sesame seeds
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
For tahini sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup fennel tops
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons ice water
For soffritto
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bulb diced fennel, tops separated
- 1 diced medium yellow onion
- 3 minced garlic
- 6 slicked piquillo peppers
- 3 tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 can tomatoes, crushed or whole in sauce
- ¼ pound fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
To garnish
- pickled fennel tops and basil
Preparation
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Step 1 Make the dukkah
Using a mortar and pestle, grind coriander and cumin until roughly broken down. Add sesame seeds and lightly grind again. Finish with a light grind on the pine nuts, season with salt and pepper, set aside.
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Step 2 Make the tahini sauce
Using a microplane, grate the garlic into a blender. Add lemon juice, fennel tops, ice water and salt, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Step 3 Prepare the salmon
Portion Alaska salmon into 4 equal portions. Pat dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt. Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat and coat generously with neutral oil. When the oil starts to smoke, carefully add each portion of salmon to the pan. Cook for 3-4 mins on one side or until golden brown. Flip the fish, just to remove from the pan, and set to the side (off heat).
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Step 4 Make the soffritto
Place a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, then onions, garlic, fennel and piquillo peppers. Sauté until veggies are translucent. Add harissa and canned tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until tomatoes have reduced (approx 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and add fresh cherry tomatoes. Give one final stir and then gently place salmon into the mixture. Simmer for 1-2 mins until salmon is warm throughout but not cooked through.
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Step 5 Serve
Garnish the salmon with tahini sauce, dukkah and pickled fennel tops and basil, serve!
