Best Sorrel Pistachio Pesto With Seared Salmon Recipes

SALMON FILLETS WITH PESTO AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Take four salmon fillets (do NOT use salmon steaks!) of about 6-7 oz. each and put them on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam or brushed with olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of Butoni pesto (in the grocery store refrigerated section) onto the top of each filet and spread evenly.
• Take the pistachios (shell the nuts, put in a baggie and whack with the side of a meat tenderizer/pounder) and cover the pesto with them. The amounts of pesto and pistachios depend on the size of the fillets, so use your judgment here.
• Bake for about 20-22 minutes until done.
• Serve immediately. (I serve it with roasted baby red potatoes and asparagus.).

SORREL PISTACHIO PESTO WITH SEARED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat while you prepare the pesto. Remove the salmon from refrigerator to come to room temperature.
• Separate the sorrel stems from the leaves, and then discard the stems (especially if it's later in the sorrel season, when the stems are fibrous and tough). You should have about 4 packed cups of sorrel leaves.
• Combine the pistachios and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of coarse sand. Add the sorrel and pulse until all of the leaves are chopped and incorporated into the nuts. With the machine running, slowly add up to 3/4 cup of olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Season with about 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of pesto on the bottom of each plate. Transfer the remaining pesto to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent it from turning brown. For best use, keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
• Blot excess moisture from the salmon with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is shimmering, carefully place the salmon in the pan skin-side down to avoid any splattering oil. Don't worry if the salmon skin seems stuck to the pan, after about 2 minutes it will release. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the skin is crisp and brown, about 4 minutes total. Flip over and cook until the salmon is firm to the touch (it would still be a bit translucent in the center if you peeked), an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place the salmon skin-side up on each plate and serve.