Lunch / Dinner
Seared Salmon with Green Pea Purée
No matter the cooking technique, salmon cooks up quickly, making it the perfect protein for a weeknight meal. Here, seared salmon, with its crisp exterior and flaky interior is perfectly set off by a creamy white bean and green pea purée and a tender green side salad.
Though searing salmon is simple, it can be intimidating; just keep in mind these three tricks to perfectly searing it. First, start with a super hot pan — let it get hot before ever adding the oil. Second, make sure to pat the fish dry and season it just before adding it to the hot pan. And last, but not least, don’t move the fish until it’s ready. You’ll know it’s ready to flip once the salmon easily releases from the pan.
Ingredients
COOK:
SWEAT:
HEAT:
Test Kitchen Tip
Pressing the purée through a sieve is purely for aesthetic purposes. If you don’t mind a less than smooth texture, don’t bother pressing it.
Instructions
Cook bacon in a saucepan until crisp; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve for Curly Endive Salad, right. Reserve drippings in pan.
Sweat leeks in drippings over medium-low heat until translucent, 6 minutes. Stir in beans, peas, and broth until heated through.
Purée bean mixture in a food processor with vinegar and horseradish; press through a fine-mesh sieve, then season with salt and pepper. Keep purée warm.
Heat sauté pan over high; add oil. Once shimmering, add salmon and sear until golden brown on one side, then flip, reduce heat to medium, and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 7 minutes total. Serve salmon with purée.
Leeks can be sandy. Thoroughly rinse them after slicing to be sure to get rid of any stuck between the layers.
For the best sear and to avoid tearing the fish, let the fillets naturally release before flipping.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 684
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 50g 76%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 343mg 14%
Carbs 19g 6%
Fiber 5g 20%
Protein 41g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.