Citrusy Tomato and Olive Salsa with Salmon

Citrusy sweet oranges, tangy tomatoes, and briny green and imported black olives join together in a lively salsa to bring big bold flavors to salmon. This is the kind of dish I call transitional, or between seasons. It is a great time of the year to make this while you can still buy those big navel oranges in the store. I find plum or roma tomatoes to be reliable year-around and they are what I use before the summer, homegrown ones arrive at our farmer’s market.

In almost any recipe we prepare, I make what the French call a mise en place with the ingredients and that is what I suggest you do here for the salsa ingredients. Mise en place, pronounced “miz on plas,” and often referred to as a “mise,” means to put in place or set up the ingredients. Restaurants do this and it makes the actual cooking of any dish go much faster when the ingredients are prepared and ready to go. When making a Chinese stir-fry with a lengthy list of ingredients, preparing a mise is essential. If you don’t currently make a mise before you cook, I highly recommend you give it a try. It will change how you cook from that moment on.

The only time consuming part of this recipe is sectioning the peeled oranges. The original recipe called for three oranges, but I suggest you buy several extra, because all oranges are not created equal when it comes to sectioning them. Sometimes the sections will be a nice size, other times they can be very small.

The original recipe that inspired this dish called for the salmon to be cooked on top of the stove. Our favorite and most reliable way to cook salmon is to broil it, so that’s what I’ve done here. If you prefer to follow the original, the link is below. If you like a spicier salsa, you could always add fresh chopped jalapenos. No matter what you do, don’t skip the mise part.

Citrusy Tomato and Olive Salsa with Salmon
Inspired by Cooking Light – serves 4

4 six ounce fresh boneless salmon fillets, preferably with the skin left intact
2 to 3 teaspoons grape seed oil, or other neutral tasting oil
Kosher salt or sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
4 large navel oranges plus more for squeezing orange juice
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 ½ cups diced plum or roma tomatoes
¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced in thirds
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in quarters
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ to 1 tablespoon canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Watercress for garnish if desired

Cut the salmon into four pieces approximately the same size and weight. Put salmon on a plate, rub with the oil, season with salt & pepper, and allow the salmon to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. In the meantime, grate ½ teaspoon orange rind before peeling and sectioning the oranges with a sharp knife. Prepare a mise en place for the remaining ingredients, keeping the orange sections separate from the other ingredients.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the salmon in one layer, skin side down, on an unheated sheet pan lined with heavy duty foil for easy clean-up. Place the salmon under the broiler about six to seven inches from the source of heat. Broil 8 to 10 minutes or just until the pieces are cooked through. It is not necessary to turn the salmon. If salmon starts to get too crispy on the top, change from broil to bake and bake at 400 degrees until done. Do not overcook or the salmon will be dry. Allow to rest for a few minutes before removing the skin and serving.

While the salmon is cooking, add ½ teaspoon of canola oil to a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the onions to the pan and sauté 3 or 4 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. If necessary, add more canola oil. Add the tomatoes, olives, orange juice, and orange rind to pan, simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, cover and set aside momentarily.

While the salmon is resting, add orange sections to the warm salsa and cook a minute or so to reheat the sauce, taking care not to break the orange segments. Place one piece of salmon on four individual plates and spoon warm salsa alongside. Garnish with watercress if desired.

Printable recipe

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, Foodtastic Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable.

Have a great weekend everyone
and thank you for visiting My Carolina Kitchen.