Crispy Salmon with Mint Salsa Verde

I absolutely love eating salmon. No matter how it is cooked - whether it be raw, smoked, cured, barbecued or baked, this delicious fish never fails to excite my taste-buds with its juicy, buttery and plump flesh. However, salmon really does not need much fussing over to make it tasty - a simple pan fry will crisp the skin up and release a wonderful aroma, great enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon and side salad. Below is a recipe for crispy salmon, served with a zingy, fresh green salsa that beautifully cuts through the richness of the fish. From Everyday Gourmet:

Serves 4:

For the salsa verde:
1 cup fresh mint, loosely packed
½ cup fresh parsley, loosely packed
¼ cup fresh basil, loosely packed
¼ cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1 tbs capers
2 anchovy fillets
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tbs red wine vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

For the salmon:
2 tbs olive oil
4 x 220g salmon fillets, skin on and bones removed
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

For the salsa verde, pick and wash all the herbs. Place all the ingredients, excluding the olive oil, into a food processor or blender. Pulse until finely chopped. An alternative to using a blender is to combine the ingredients in a mortar and pestle, which is what I did. Simply add the ingredients in, one by one, and pound thoroughly between each addition. 

Start with the anchovy and capers:

Followed by the lemon zest:

Then the herbs and the red wine vinegar:

Place the blended ingredients into a bowl and mix in the olive oil until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the crispy salmon, heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Pat the salmon dry on each side with some paper towelling. Season well with salt and pepper.

Place the salmon, skin side down into the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Then turn the fish over and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Serve immediately with a good dollop of the salsa verde and a fresh green salad or vegetables for a well-rounded meal :)

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