Pesto Crusted Salmon Recipes

PESTO CRUSTED SALMON

Steps:

• Lightly oil a baking pan large enough to accommodate the fish. Place salmon in pan skin side down. Run finger over flesh to make sure all bones have been removed. Use pliers to pull out any that remain. Squeeze juice of one lemon and white wine over fish. Lightly salt the salmon. Marinate 15 minutes.
• Preheat broiler.
• Coat the top side of the fish with thick layer of pesto. It should be between an 1/8th to a 1/4 of an inch thick, and cover the surface of the fish.
• Place fish under the broiler. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until fish flakes and flesh is opaque. Pesto should have formed a heavily browned or even blackened crust.
• Remove from the oven, and set aside for a few minutes. Slice remaining lemon half into thin slices. Serve with lemon slices or arrange on the whole flank for presentation.
• notes: the size of the salmon can be much bigger or smaller depending on your party size without having to adjust the recipe. I make my pesto a day ahead so I have very little to do the day of the dinner party. I serve it with rice Recipe #191120. Leftovers are great cold on a salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.

GRILLED SALMON WITH PESTO CRUST

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium heat; cook and stir pine nuts in the hot skillet until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Blend basil, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and garlic in a blender until a thick paste forms. Gradually stream olive oil into blender and continue blending until desired consistency of pesto is reached; season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper.
• Place salmon, skin-side down, onto grill grates; close grill and cook until salmon is about 2/3 done, 8 to 15 minutes. Remove salmon from grill using a spatula and transfer to a baking sheet, skin-side down. Spread pesto evenly over the salmon. Save extra pesto for another use if there are leftovers.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Broil salmon until fish flakes easily with a fork and pesto is bubbling, about 5 minutes.

PESTO CRUSTED ROAST SALMON

Steps:

• To make the crust: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor.
• With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil and process until incorporated.
• Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• To prepare the salmon: Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Spread the pesto crust 1/8-inch thick on the salmon fillets.
• In a dry nonstick ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil and sear the salmon, crust-side down.
• Turn the fillets over and place in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes, until cooked through.