Salmon with Garden Grain Salad and Charred Broccolini

During my time as a private chef for nearly five years, I honed my skills in minimalist cooking, focusing on creating wholesome, nutritious, and scrumptious meals without leaning on typical flavor "crutches" such as excessive butter, MSG, or heavy salt and fat. In this post, I'll share one of my go-to meals that I whipped up at least 2-3 times per week as a private chef, featuring a mouth-watering pan-seared salmon as the protein, accompanied by a green vegetable, and a carb or starch.

The recipe might be simple, but the real value comes from the techniques demonstrated in the video. You can apply the "curing" tip to almost any fish, blanch a variety of green vegetables (not just broccolini), and effortlessly create grain salads. This easy salmon recipe is perfect for any home cook in a pinch, and I'm confident you're going to savor every bite of this healthy salmon dish. So, get ready to impress your family or guests with the best salmon recipe they've ever tasted, whether it's served in a delicious salmon salad or a flavorful salmon bowl.

For those who prefer pan-fried salmon or are looking for salmon fillet recipes, this versatile recipe has got you covered. Don't hesitate to try it out in a salmon bowl recipe or as a standalone dish; the choice is yours. With this repertoire of techniques, you're ready to elevate your cooking game and enjoy delectable, easy, and healthy salmon recipes any day of the week. 🤘🏼 Adam

Print

Salmon with Garden Grain Salad and Charred Broccolini

Ingredients

Salmon

• Two 6 ounce Salmon Filets, skin on
• Kosher Salt, as needed
• Sugar, as needed
• ½ tsp Neutral Oil

Garden Grain Salad

• 2 cups uncooked Bulgar, or other cooked grain
• 4 medium Tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 medium Cucumber, seeded and diced
• ¼ Red Onion, sliced thin
• 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• ½ cup Parsley, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil, more to taste
• Juice of ½ Lemon, more to taste
• 1 tsp Aleppo Pepper
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

Charred Broccolini

• 2 Bunches Broccolini, ends trimmed
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Olive Oil, to taste
• Red Wine Vinegar, to taste
• 3 Shallots, sliced thin (optional)
• MSG, to taste
• Neutral Oil, for frying
• Kosher Salt, to taste

Instructions

Salmon

1. Season salmon liberally on all sides with sugar and salt and set on a wire rack. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Bring a medium non-stick skillet up on medium-high heat. Add a small dash of oil to the pan, then carefully set the fish on skin side down. Cook until the skin browns and becomes crisp, flip and continue cooking until you hit medium. The fish is done when it is slightly firm to the touch. Remove from the pan and allow to rest.
3. Finish with olive oil, finish with salt and black pepper. Serve skin side up.

Garden Grain Salad

1. Soak the bulgar in a large bowl of room temperature water for 30 minutes or until soft and noticily puffier.
2. Add sliced onions to a bowl. then cover with red wine vinegar. Season with a pinch of salt and mix. Set aside.
3. Drain the bulgar fully. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, macerated onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, aleppo pepper, salt and pepper. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until needed.

Charred Broccolini

1. Add enough oil to a small sauce pot to come up the pot 2 inches, bring to 350F. Add shallots and stir with a utensil. Fry until golden, then lower the heat to medium-low, stir and continue cooking until golden brown and noticily crisp and dried out. Drain on paper towels. Season with a pinch of salt and MSG.
2. Bring a large pot of boiling water up over high heat. Add enough salt to the water to make it noticeably salty to taste. Set up an ice bath with cold water next to the boiling water.
3. Carefully add the broccolini to the water and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender, but mostly al dente. Remove the broccolini from the water and immediately transfer it to the ice bath for 5 minutes. Pat the broccolini dry with paper towels.
4. Bring a heavy cast iron skillet up on high heat. Add a touch of neutral oil and char the vegetables so that the ends are blackened, this happens quickly, maybe 2 minutes. Remove the broccolini from the pan and set on a serving dish. Finish with olive oil, vinegar, finishing salt and crispy shallots.

Adam's Notes

• Feel free to change up the veg in the grain salad. Get creative: add chopped olives or capers, try serving it warm, use a different grain of your liking, etc.
• The technique for the broccolini works with other green veggies, such as, asparagus and green beans.



Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.