Thursday, May 16, 2013

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 sautĂ© 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.



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.


37 comments:

  1. Mise is always a good idea. I love the lively colors in this dish Sam.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Be right over! :-)

    I link to an episode of Julia Child's "French Chef", and right there, she mentions "mise en place" - in her case, all the ingredients for a Queen of Sheeba cake.
    Funny how one encounters certain words or terms all of a sudden repeatedly, out of the blue. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I really like your first line as it sounds like a professional writer penned it. This dish sounds awesome and I continue to be amazed at the ingredients you put with fruit - things I'd never think of, but you made a believer of me at the first blogger party. Thanks for the French lesson and now I know I'm a miz cook. Frequently, Bev will get the stuff ready and I'll do the cooking, she is the opposite. I can still remember my mom cutting things up in her hand with a paring knife and letting them fall into the pan on the stove - don't remember ever seeing a chef's knife.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very nice salsa, Sam. My chopper and flopper (The Trout) is so good at preparing all the ingredients before we start cooking. We have been eating more salsas with our proteins. Salmon always is delicious with a topping. Susan

    ReplyDelete
  5. This colorful salad must taste amazing! That is such a flavorful combination.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love everything about this. Once I discovered how easy and reliable broiled salmon was, that's the only way I cook it too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love salmon and this dish sounds delightful! Thanks for sharing it Sam.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks wonderful Sam. Thanks for sharing. And have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sam,
    This looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing. I would love to fix this dish for dinner. I love salmon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh my, Sam, this is amazing! I love love love the flavors and the combo is just perfect with salmon! I have to try this (and that is saying a lot because I normally avoid making fish). Just gorgeous! And what beautiful, vibrant summer flavors!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Perfection on a plate! We don't have local tomatoes yet but soon.

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Looks wonderful Sam and you're right a perfect transitional dinner, so fresh and pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Our kind of fish meal..salsas just top them off perfectly..
    You know..I love the look of Mise En Place when I do them:)

    So pretty and organized..Have a great weekend Sam.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just want you to cook for me every day of the week---I always end up craving whatever you happen to post! This has my name all over it!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a beautiful meal Sam, the colors are just gorgeous:@)

    ReplyDelete
  16. You have some really awesome salsa and salad recipes, Sam. The salmon looks so tender, flaky and delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a lovely combination, Sam. Your presentation is perfect.
    The dish reminds me a bit of one I make all the time, garnered from The Two Fat Ladies...Salmon poached in red wine and oranges. I really must take a photo the next time I make it and post it. It's one of my favorite go-to recipes, perfect for one or two. But I'm definitely going to make your salsa...such marvelous flavors!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I make an orange and olive salad so I can imagine how good your salmon tastes with the warm salsa.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sam, I have no idea what just happened to my post, but it's late. I thnk this is a wonderful recipe, and I would love it. It makes me so hungry that I think I will have salmon for lunch tomorrow. One of my favorite caterers/chefs had a place where you can pick up her meals, and she does a fabulous salmon. I am in too big of a mess here to cook, but I can do takout. ;-)

    Thanks for he recipe. I want to try this one!

    XO,

    Sheila

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love this, Sam!! Olives are a favorite of mine.

    -Em

    ReplyDelete
  21. We love salmon here and try to eat it at lease once a week. So good for us! This is another wonderful way to prepare it to switch things up a bit. The salsa sounds delicious. I am a firm believer in mise en place! I really takes the stress out of cooking things with many components.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh NOM! This would be just perfect. I could even buy some Whole Foods poached salmon and put this salsa on top:).

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sam you can cook for me any day... you truly get how to cook healthy but still appetizing. Few cooks really get how to do that and this recipe is just another example of your talent. Thank you, thank you for sharing your recipes with us on foodie friday.

    ReplyDelete
  24. With that opening sentence, this is a must try. You make the best darn salads.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love these sweet and sour combinations. I have never cooked salmon with an orange salsa but you are right, this is the perfect time to do it before oranges disappear. I love the term "the transitional period" You are right. Now their is a lull until the next batch appears in the summer. Getting tired of strawberries and blueberries but wait! melon is just around the corner!

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is one bright spring dish! Copper River Salmon just appeared (pricey but you know - once a year). This would be the perfect recipe for it. Love salmon with citrus. And don't get me started on the kalamatas. Mise en place. Of course!

    ReplyDelete
  27. This Citrusy Tomato and Olive Salsa with Salmon is a light and healthy recipe yet packed with wonderful and refreshing flavors. I love that your fish is perfectly cooked. Still moist and juicy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. A beautiful way to enjoy salmon... Love it.

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  29. It looks very delicious and flavorful.

    ReplyDelete
  30. My hubby loves salmon cooked any way....and this recipe looks awesome....will have to make this for him....I know he will love it!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Yum Yum! I've never cooked salmon-but this makes me want to start : )

    ReplyDelete
  32. adore how healthy your recipes are so good too

    ReplyDelete
  33. This reminded me of your chicken marengo, not exactly but sort of. I think it's the olives maybe.

    ReplyDelete
  34. those are the perfect flavors for salmon. perfect! I love the whole idea of an olive salsa. I could see using it on alot of different things.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Thinking of that lovely salsa on a piece of broiled salmon is making my mouth water. I bought some Copper River salmon at Costco yesterday and was trying to think of an easy, new way to serve it. Thanks for sharing this, Sam.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Oh, yummy! I bet the salsa compliments the fish so well. It looks so vibrant, colorful and delicious. Great recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  37. What a beautiful dish for the transition of the seasons Sam. I think that we are soul sisters in our flavor preferences. I adore salmon, and can never get enough of it! I did not know of the French custom of Mise en Place, but it certainly makes perfect sense in terms of plating and presentation! I love learning something new! Thanks for sharing!

    Roz

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.