Salmon with Tomato Confit Emulsion and Fresh Salsa
I spot me a berg of salmon! [Photo Credit: Alex Paternostro]
Recipe by Seth Paternostro
Introduction by Alex Paternostro
November 27, 2021
When I go fishing, the best salmon is far away and out of reach. Accordingly, I must settle for what I can catch near my home. A wise Canadian man once told me that he would “bore a hole through the ice, to find food,” and I understand what grit such an effort as that takes. While I need not build an igloo to survive the harsh and windy winters of Chicago—because I live in a brick box—finding fish under the frozen lake of Michigan is no easy feat. I gird myself against the elements and reach my hand past the ice. When I grasp hold of my dinner, my fingers are chilled to the bone and shaking. Nevertheless, I brave the nipping frost and drop that rock-hard salmon into my cart.
Serves 4
Total time
1 hour 30 minutes
Equipment:
cutting board, chef’s knife or cleaver, heavy baking sheet or large cast-iron pan, small tray, paper towels, metal spatula, small saucepan, small mixing bowls, plastic wrap, immersion blender, silicone spatula, fine-mesh strainer, measuring cups and spoons, tasting spoons
Tableware:
warmed plates, rice bowls, and utensils
Ingredients
4 skin-on salmon fillets
2 pints mixed cherry tomatoes, or around 20 oz.
2 mini cucumbers
3 cloves garlic
½ shallot
¼ tsp dried thyme
6 whole black peppercorns, plus ground as needed
2 tsps red wine vinegar, or as needed
½ tsp honey
½ scallion
2 sprigs Italian parsley
¼ tsp ground cayenne
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Sugar, as needed
Kosher salt, as needed
White rice, for serving
Instructions
Set out all equipment, tableware, and ingredients. Rinse the fresh produce.
Peel, and smash the garlic cloves. Peel, and thickly slice the shallot. Lightly crush the whole peppercorns with the side of your knife.
In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, shallot, 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, thyme, crushed peppercorns, and a generous pinch of salt with just enough extra virgin olive oil to cover, or between 1 and 2 cups.
Place the saucepan over low heat, and confit for 1 hour with a cover slightly ajar.
Near the end of the hour, remove ¼ cup of oil, and reserve. Preheat the oven to 450°F with the baking sheet or cast-iron pan on the middle rack.
Meanwhile, evenly dice the remaining cherry tomatoes and mini cucumbers. In one small mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt. In another, mix the cucumbers with a light pinch each of salt and sugar.
Cover the tomatoes and cucumbers with plastic wrap, and macerate in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
Finely chop the parsley, reserving 4 leaves for garnish, and thinly slice the scallion green on the bias.
Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, scallion greens, 1 tbsp of the reserved oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, and a pinch of black pepper. Taste, and adjust as desired.
Thoroughly dry the salmon fillets with paper towels, sprinkle evenly on both sides with salt, black pepper, and cayenne, then coat with the remaining reserved oil.
Roast the salmon skin-side down between 4 and 6 minutes, or until medium-rare.
Meanwhile, puree the tomato confit with an immersion blender, and strain into a clean bowl or saucepan, vigorously tapping the side of the strainer with a silicone spatula to speed up the process.
Taste the sauce, adjust with the honey, red wine vinegar, and salt, then re-blend.
To plate, center the salmon, surround it with the sauce, spoon the salsa around, drizzle a little of the salsa liquid over the salmon, then garnish with a parsley leaf.
Enjoy with a steaming bowl of white rice.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 499 Total Fat 36.6g (47%) Saturated Fat 5.2g (26%) Cholesterol 78mg (26%) Sodium 89mg (4%) Total Carbohydrate 10.2g (4%) Dietary Fiber 2.8g (10%) Total Sugars 6g Protein 36.9g Vitamin D 0mcg (0%) Calcium 100mg (8%) Iron 2mg (11%) Potassium 1140mg (24%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
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