Showing posts with label traditional Tuscan salad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traditional Tuscan salad. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2015

Seared Salmon and Summer Panzanella

Seared Salmon & Panzanella


My secret weapon is "Seared Salmon & Summer Panzanella with Corn, Shishito Peppers and Thai Basil". This traditional Tuscan salad combines corn, plum tomatoes and an heirloom cucumber, as well as two specialty ingredients: shishito peppers and Thai basil. Shishitos are sweet and generally mild, but about one in every ten is hot (so be careful)! Thai basil is a cooling, anise-like variety of the herb that perfectly completes the salad. Served alongside seared garlic salmon fillets is delicious.


Ingredients

Serves: 4
About 560 Calories
20-30 min.

4 Salmon Fillets
2 ears of fresh corn
1 large baguette
4 plum tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
2 seedless cucumbers
2 oz. Shishito peppers
1 ½ bunch Thai basil
3 oz. Castelvetrano Olives
3 ½ Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 shallots
Sea Salt
Fresh Black Pepper

Olive Oil


Directions

Pre heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse and dry the fresh vegetables.

Cut the baguette in half lengthwise.

Peel the garlic and set aside.

Remove and discard the husks and silks of the corn.

Cut the corn kernels off the cob; discard the cob.

Large dice the tomatoes.

Cut off and discard the ends of the cucumber; dice.

Remove and discard the shishito pepper stems; halve the shishitos on an angle.

Pick the basil leaves off the stems; discard the stems.

Using the flat side of your knife, smash the olives; remove and discard the pits, then roughly chop.

Peel and thinly slice the shallot; place in a bowl with the red wine vinegar.

Make Garlic Croutons:

Place the baguette halves on a sheet pan, cut sides up; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Toast in the oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Remove from the oven.

When cool enough to handle, rub the cut sides of the toasted baguette halves with the garlic clove; set garlic cloves aside.

Transfer to a clean, dry work surface.

Large dice the baguette halves.

Cook Corn:

While the baguette halves toast, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot.

Add the corn; season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened.

Transfer to a large bowl.

Cook Shishto Peppers:

In the pan used to cook the corn, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot.

Add the shishito peppers; season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned on all sides.

Transfer to the bowl of cooked corn.

Cook the Salmon:

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Mash garlic cloves, finely chop.

In the pan used to cook the shishito peppers, and garlic, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot.

Add the seasoned salmon, skin sides down first.

Cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and cooked to your desired degree of doneness.

Make the Panzanella:

Add the garlic croutons, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and basil to the bowl of cooked corn and shishito peppers; season with salt and pepper.

Add the shallot-vinegar mixture and a drizzle of olive oil.

Toss to thoroughly combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the cooked salmon and panzanella between 4 plates and serve.