Pan Seared Salmon with Haricots Verts Salad
- 1 pound haricots verts (very thin string beans)
- 2 limes
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/8 cup fresh tarragon leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
- 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil (or your choice of olive or canola oil), plus 1/4 cup
- 1/8 cup bottled water
- 2 tomatoes, seeds removed and finely diced
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 6 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
- Salt and pepper or adobo seasoning
- First blanch the haricots verts in salted boiling water until al dente (or cooked to your liking).
- Once this is done, drain the beans into a strainer or colander and then they should be shocked by dunking the strainer of beans into a waiting bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, which will also help them retain a great color.
- Drain and set aside in refrigerator until needed.
- Place 1 of the limes in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until the essential oils in the skin are released.
- These limes will be hot coming from the microwave, so you can let them cool before squeezing them.
- Turn on the blender and through the feed tube, add the rosemary, tarragon, cilantro, stone-ground mustard, rice wine vinegar, and fresh ginger, and blend together until a smooth paste has formed.
- At this point the limes should be cool enough to squeeze.
- With the power on, add the lime juice through the blender feed-tube, and then very slowly add the oil and water until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Set aside in refrigerator until needed.
- (When chilled, the dressing should resemble something like mayonnaise.)
- Reserve some of the dressing to drizzle on the plate later.
- Then, mix the beans, tomato, and onions with the dressing (adjusting the amount to your preference) and refrigerate for only a couple of hours.
- (Don't mix too far ahead, because the salad ingredients will bleed and you will have a very runny dressing).
- Heat a large saute pan or heavy skillet for about 3 minutes over high heat.
- Season the salmon fillets with your choice of seasoning.
- Add the oil carefully, a little bit at a time, to the pan swirling it around to coat the sides.
- Place the salmon, flesh side down, and leave untouched for about 3 minutes.
- (Do not shake the pan!
- You are trying to get the fish's natural sugars to come to the surface in this browning process.)
- After about 3 minutes, use a spatula to turn the fish over and cook the other side.
- The fish will cook quickly, although cooking time will vary according to the thickness of the fillet.
- Do not overcook it.
- When you touch the flesh and it springs back, it is done.
- Remove the fish to a platter and let it rest for a couple of minutes.
- This rest time is very important; it will allow the juices to flow back into the fish.
- (Don't worry, it won't get cold!)
verts, limes, rosemary, tarragon, fresh cilantro, stoneground mustard, rice wine vinegar, fresh ginger, grapeseed oil, water, tomatoes, red onion, salmon, salt
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pan-seared-salmon-with-haricots-verts-salad-recipe.html (may not work)