Walnut Parsley Crusted Wild Salmon & Snap Pea Fennel Salade
Spring produce is heavenly. Crisp snap peas were my inspiration for this dish. Their tender baby bells are unforgettable when fresh. This salade is celebrating their delicate butteriness at the peak of season. Paired with a crusted salmon, a current favorite of my clients. It’s a perfect meal prep entree to have at the ready for lunch or dinner.
I share a few chef tips to get your salmon skin perfectly crispy, brown your crust just right and activate your arugula. Watch me prepare it here. Enjoy!
RECIPE
macros
40g protein ~ 2g fat ~ 44g carbs
per entree
makes 1 entree
Ingredients
Wild Salmon Fillet
Celtic Sea Salt
¼ cup Raw Walnut Halves
Small handful fresh Parsley Stems
Dijon Grain Mustard
1 Lemon
Splash of Natural White Wine
Splash of Olive Oil
1 tbsp Whole Sour Cream
1 Fennel
1 Celery Stalk
1-2 cups Baby Arugula, organic
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees and set out Salmon to bring to room temp.
Wash all produce. Remove lower stem of Parsley.
In a food processor, pulse Walnuts 1-2x only, then add in Parsley, a tsp of Mustard, ½ a lemon worth of juice. Pulse 1-2x more and mix manually with spoon, if needed. Taste and add sea salt as you desire. Feel free to play and add more of the ingredients to bring it to your perfect crust mix.
Prep your Salmon. Remove any pin bones and remaining scales. Dry and salt both sides
Heat a clean saute pan over low heat.
Skin-side down, gently spread crust on the filet. Add olive oil to your pan, then test surface with a sprinkle of water. If the water rolls, carefully place the fillet skin down, laying it down away from you to avoid getting splattered. DONT TOUCH IT. Let it sit. After 4-5 min, lift an corner edge very gently to see if it beginning to color.
Once the skin is starting to brown, place saute pan in oven to finish the cook. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust begins to crisp. The internal temp should reach at least 145 degrees. If your crust is not browning, place it under the broiler for 1 min to quickly brown, but be cautious to not overcook.
Set Salmon aside to rest.
De-stem your Fennel and chop or use a mandolin to shave the bulb, play with the direction to make it fun! Do the same with your Celery. I enjoy shaving my celery thinly for a more delicate crunch. You can also slice any extra fennel stems!
Trim the edges of your Snap Peas on an angle, then set aside 3 for garnish. Optional: halve them to make them more bite-sized. Open the 3 by sliding a pairing knife along the edge, keep the Peas in their bed as best as you can.
In a tall glass, add your Sour Cream, add the splash of Wine and Olive Oil. Whisk well, then season with Sea Salt. Add more Wine as needed to get the acid-to-fat balance you desire for your dressing
To plate: hand tear your baby Arugula to awaken it, then layer in the Fennel flowers, Celery lace, Snap Pea bites, finishing with the open Snap Pea beds for garnish. Drizzle with dressing. Pair with your Salmon!
