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A piece of seared salmon with a golden, crispy skin is served on a beige plate beside a portion of green sauce or puree.

Seared Salmon with Pistachio-Mint Pesto

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Seared Salmon with Pistachio-Mint Pesto combines crispy-skinned salmon with a fresh, nutty pistachio-mint pesto made from fresh pistachios. A healthy, bold dish that's easy enough for weeknights and elegant enough for guests.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Dinner, Seafood
Cuisine: American-Coastal, Contemporary
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salmon
  • 2 Salmon Fillets 6 oz each, skin-on
  • ½ tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt to taste
  • Maldon Salt to finish
Pistachio-Mint Pesto
  • ½ cup Basil Leaves Fresh
  • ¼ cup Mint Leaves Fresh
  • ¼ cup Raw pistachios
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Finely grated
  • 1 Clove Garlic Roughly chopped
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt to taste

Equipment

  • Large skillet or frying pan (preferably non-stick or cast iron)
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Chef’s knife and cutting board
  • Food processor or blender (for pesto)

Method
 

  1. In a food processor, combine basil, mint, pistachios, Parmesan, and garlic.
  2. Pulse to a rough chop.
  3. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached.
  4. Season pesto with kosher salt and set aside at room temperature if using immediately.
  5. Pat salmon fillets dry and season both sides with kosher salt.
  6. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  7. Place salmon skin-side down and sear for 4 minutes, until edges turn golden and skin is crispy. You'll know it's ready to flip once it releases from the pan. It sticks because the crust is still forming, so don't nudge it around if it's not releasing. The protein will almost always tell you when it's ready.
  8. Flip salmon, reduce heat to medium, and cook an additional 7-8 minutes to desired doneness.
  9. To serve, spoon pistachio-mint pesto on the plate, top with salmon, and finish with a sprinkle of Maldon salt.

Notes

Storage: the salmon is best eaten right away while the skin is still crisp. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, reheat gently in a low oven since the skin won't crackle back the same way. The pesto keeps on its own in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, press plastic wrap onto the surface to hold its color.

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