Salmon with Avocado Salsa
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
10 mins
-
Total Time
30 mins
-
Servings
4 people
-
Calories
359 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Salmon with Avocado Salsa
Description
Salmon with Avocado Salsa begins with seasoning the salmon fillet with salt and allowing it to rest while preparing the salsa. The salsa combines red onion soaked in lime juice to mellow its sharpness, garlic, hot green chiles for heat, diced Roma tomato for freshness, avocado chunks for creaminess, and chopped cilantro for herbal brightness. Cooking the salmon involves heating oil in a pan to a moderate-high temperature and searing the fish skin-side down or on its meaty side to develop a crisp exterior. The salmon is basted continuously with hot oil to cook evenly and promote a moist, flaky texture.
The contrast of the rich, tender salmon with the tangy, spicy salsa creates a balanced dish. The salsa adds layers of acidity, heat, and creaminess that complement the natural oils of the fish. This dish can be enjoyed simply with rice or used as a filling for tacos.
The preparation allows for variation in fish portion size and salsa heat level. Soaking the onion in lime juice also improves the salsa's flavor by reducing sharpness, making it more palatable.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 salmon fillet skin on or off, skinless, to 2 pounds
- salt
- 3 tablespoons oil such as canola, safflower, grapeseed or rice bran oil, high smoke point
- 1/2 cup onion red, chopped
- lime about 1/4 cup, juice of 2
- 1 garlic minced, large clove
- 1 hot green chile such as serrano, minced, to 3 chiles
- 1 plum tomato diced, Roma or other
- 2 avocado cut into chunks
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Take the salmon out of the fridge and salt it well while you start the salsa. Soak the red onion in the lime juice; this helps remove that sulfurous taste of raw onion. Let the onion soak and the salmon sit out for 20 minutes while you chop everything else.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan large enough to cook all the salmon fillets. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. If you are using skin-on pieces, use a butter knife to scrape the skin -- this dries it out even more so the skin gets extra crispy. Lay the salmon down on the hot pan skin side down (or on the side that used to have the skin). Adjust the heat so the fish is sizzling like bacon: Neither an inferno nor a lazy pop. Let this cook undisturbed for 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the onion and lime juice into a large bowl and add the garlic, chiles, diced tomato, avocado chunks and cilantro. Add salt to taste.
- Use a soup spoon to baste the salmon with the hot oil. Do this on each fillet until the meat tightens a little and turns completely opaque, about 30 seconds per fillet. If you like your salmon cooked all the way to the center, repeat this process a couple times. Do not flip the salmon. Let the salmon cook for a total of 6 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick it is and how well you like your salmon. A thin salmon fillet, such as a pink salmon or a small sockeye or silver, will take only 6 minutes or so total. A really thick piece of king salmon or Atlantic might require a little more than 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the salmon from the pan with a spatula; it should come right up, or stick in only one or two small spots, and place it crispy side up on the plate. Give everyone some salsa on the side and open a beer.
Notes
- Soaking red onion in lime juice reduces pungency and softens flavor in the salsa.
- Use a high smoke point oil like canola or grapeseed for frying to avoid burning.
- The salmon skin can be dried or scraped to help achieve a crispier texture when searing.
- Serve with rice or use the salmon and salsa as a filling for tacos for a complete meal.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 359 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 359kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 35mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 75mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 866mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 391IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 24mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
