Crispy Salmon & Herby Salad with GZ’s Best Ever Vinaigrette
Posted: | Categories: Recipes | Tags:dinner inspo gluten-free quick & easy
Crispy Salmon & Herby Salad with GZ’s Best Ever Vinaigrette
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Savory Recipes
Author:
Melissa Ben-Ishay
I still can’t believe that Geoffrey Zakarian himself came to my home and taught me how to make salmon. Seriously. If you had told me (and Adi) 10 years ago that an IRON CHEF would be cooking in our kitchen, we’d have both laughed in disbelief. Even 10 MONTHS ago! Adi is a huge fan of his, so I told him he had to be cool when he arrived. But Geoffrey was so cool with him, and was such a pleasure to watch him cook. We used his non-stick pans (that are now some of my favorites) and he explained what he was doing every step of the way, so I learned to teach you. The salmon we made had the most crispy skin (which yes, you can eat) and paired so well with the simple herb salad. It’s the perfect recipe for when you want an easy—but super satisfying—home-cooked meal.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Crispy Salmon
- 1-2 6 oz. salmon filets, skin-on (or one for everyone you’re serving)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (or one per salmon filet)
For the vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- ¼ cup Forum chardonnay vinegar (it’s GZ’s favorite!)
- 1-2 garlic cloves, grated with a microplane
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon tamari (or soy sauce)
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For the salad
- A few leaves of radicchio, little gem, or baby butter
- About 1/4 cup fresh herbs—we used a few leaves of fresh basil, 1 tablespoon each of cilantro, parsley, and dill, and a small bunch of chopped chives
Directions
How to Make Crispy Salmon
Pat dry the salmon with a paper towel and slice three vertical slits in the skin side of the salmon, about ½ cm deep. This will help the seasonings get deeper into the fish.
- Season the skin with salt (about ¼ teaspoon, depending on the salt you use) and a few turns of black pepper.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and wait for it to get hot. When you flick a drop or two of water on the pan, it should sizzle when ready.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and swirl to evenly coat the bottom.
- Carefully place the salmon skin-side down on the hot pan, starting toward you and ending away from you so you don’t get hit with oil. Lower the heat to medium.
- Season the top (the flesh side) with salt and pepper.
- Now’s the hardest part. You wait. GZ taught me that salmon has a built-in thermometer that shows you when it’s ready—color. Patiently (this is hard, I know) wait for the salmon to slowly turn an opaque, light pink most of the way up the side of the fish (about 8-10 minutes). You’ll start to see it turn light pink on the edges too, where the filet is thinner. It’s tempting to flip it, but don’t.
- Once the fish has turned pale pink on the sides, flip it over and remove the pan from heat. You can let the salmon stay there while you (quickly) make the salad. Don’t completely abandon it.
- Serve skin-side up, with an herby green salad made with GZ’s signature vinaigrette, below, and plan the next day you’ll make it. Tomorrow, perhaps?
How to Make Herby Salad with Geoffrey Zakarian’s Best Ever Vinaigrette
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl or jar.
- Whisk everything together until emulsified. If you’re using a jar, you can also just cover (tightly) and shake until emulsified.
- Tear the greens into smaller pieces with your hands and add to a small bowl. Cover with the herbs, and add a few spoonfuls of the vinaigrette. Stir everything together in the bowl until evenly coated. Serve with the crispy salmon.
Recipe Note
What You’ll Need
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