Roasted Salmon with Corn and Pepper Relish
I was able to get some beautiful Wild King Salmon from work the other day and it being summer, I also had on hand some fresh corn and Jimmy Nardello’s peppers. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of Jimmy Nardello’s peppers, I hadn’t until recently either!
They are a variety of sweet, Italian, frying pepper native to the Basilicata region of southern Italy and are named for the seed collector, Jimmy Nardello, who first brought them over to the United States in the late 1800s. They’re perfect for frying up with a mild and sweet flavor – so delicious! If you can’t find Jimmy Nardello’s peppers, you can substitute sweet red bell peppers or another sweet pepper variety.
Roasted Salmon with Corn and Pepper Relish
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 5 – 6 ounce filets fresh wild king salmon
- 2 tablespoons coriander seed
- 2 ears organic sweet corn, kernels removed
- 3/4 – 1 pound Jimmy Nardello’s peppers, stems removed and diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 teaspoons honey
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Steps:
Place the coriander seeds in a small, dry saute pan and toast seed over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the seeds are lightly toasted and fragrant. This should take 5 – 8 minutes, but keep a close eye on them, than can go from beautifully toasted to burnt very quickly. Once toasted, crush seeds into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Set aside.
Place a medium saucepan over low heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss in the diced red onion and cook slowly stirring occasionally. You want the onions to be caramelized, so keep the heat low and be patient. While the onions are cooking, chop up the Jimmy Nardello’s peppers, seeds and all, and make the marinade for the salmon.
To make the marinade, in a bowl combine 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon honey, the paprika, 1/2 tablespoon of the coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk everything together. Place the salmon filets in a high-walled dish or baking pan and pour the marinade over the salmon, making sure to coat all sides of the fish. Cover and keep refrigerated.
Preheat the over to 400° and place the rack in the middle.
At this point, the onions should be nearing caramelized. Once they’re soft and golden brown, stir in the chopped peppers. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for a few minutes until the peppers are soft. Add the corn kernels,the chopped garlic, the remaining coriander powder, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate and let cook for a few minutes more. Once the garlic and coriander are fragrant, pour in the white wine, the remaining 2 teaspoons of honey, and the juice of the other lemon. Once the liquids come to a boil, turn the heat on low and let simmer covered. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.
Prepare a baking sheet with baking parchment or a silicone mat. Transfer the salmon filets to the baking sheet, brushing some of the extra marinade over the salmon. Reserve just a little of the marinade to brush on again during cooking.
Place the baking sheet with salmon into the oven. After five minutes, brush on remaining marinade and rotate the baking sheet 180°. After another 5 to 6 minutes, the salmon should be ready. Remove from oven to check; the salmon should be opaque.
Easy tip: To tell if fish is properly cooked, take a metal skewer or small metal fork and stick it into the thickest part of the flesh, usually the center. Hold it there for about 15 seconds. Remove the skewer and touch it to your lip. If it feels medium warm the fish is done! If it feels cool or merely lukewarm, cook for a few more minutes.
Plate each filet and spoon a generous helping of the corn and pepper relish over top. Enjoy!
