The summer sun is beginning to fade. Days are getting shorter, weather’s getting cooler. But I’m not ready to move on yet. This dish with a tropical twist can help that lazy hazy feeling last a little longer. Another easy meal to put together–I cooked it in under an hour–and the components complement each other beautifully. A sweet and tangy mango cucumber salsa, fragrant with fresh herbs, marries well with sauteed salmon, which is simply seared to bring out its best flavor. Nutty brown rice is the perfect base to sop up all the juices. Play a little bossa nova during dinner and enjoy one last sultry evening before the leaves begin to fall.
Pan Seared Salmon with Mango Cucumber Salsa
This meal is flavorful and oh, so healthy–perfect as a feel-good weeknight dinner. A fresh and lovely piece of fish needs only a simple sauce or salsa as an accompaniment to really make it shine. This salsa of sweet and sumptuous mango, the crunch of cucumber, and the acid of lime and rice vinegar would work well with many types of fish, but is an especially good choice to counterbalance the rich flesh of salmon fillet.
Start by making the Mango Cucumber Salsa: peel and dice the flesh of the mango and place in a medium bowl. Peel and dice a hothouse cucumber and add to the mango. Zest and juice one lime in a small bowl and add reduced sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar (to balance the acid), kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of toasted sesame oil. Whisk dressing and pour over the mango and cucumber. Set aside to allow flavors to develop.
I’m not a huge fan of rice. When I eat it, I prefer sushi rice because it’s plumper and stickier than the typical variety. Brown sushi rice is especially nice and nutty in flavor. Prepare the rice according to the package directions: bring the liquid to a boil, stir in the rice, bring back to the boil, and immediately cover the pan, turning the heat all the way to low. When time is up, turn off the heat and let the pot sit–do not open that lid until it’s time to serve.
Heat a skillet–cast iron works especially well here–over medium heat. Prepare the salmon fillets by drying well with paper towel to insure they’ll get the best sear. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add canola oil and a pat of butter to the heated skillet. When the fat is sizzling, add the fillets skin side down in the pan. Let the fish cook undisturbed–the skin will stick if you try to move it. When the salmon is properly seared, the skin will release from the surface of the pan, about 4 or 5 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and continue to cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, depending on thickness. I prefer my fish rare in the middle–if you like yours more well-done, you may want to cook it a bit longer.
While the salmon and the rice cooks, heat a small dry skillet over medium low heat. Add the sesame seeds to toast, watching carefully to make sure they don’t burn. Set aside. Finely chop cilantro and mint leaves and mix in with the mango salsa. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
To serve up this plate, spoon the salsa on the dish and mound the rice next to it. Place the salmon over the salsa and sprinkle the sesame seeds over all. Perfect with a glass of Chardonnay. After dinner, linger a while and enjoy the music…
Serves 4:
Mango Cucumber Salsa
Yes, toast the seeds in a dry skillet. Watch them carefully because they’ll burn in a heartbeat. Glad you like the music–it’s one of my favs.
The music is a great idea. One question: Do you toast the sesame seeds?