Pan-seared salmon with apricot saffron salsa

SALMON WITH AN APRICOT TWIST | A fruity take on the pan-fried salmon

Seeing I still have a pack of dried apricots I purchased in Melbourne this year, I thought I’d raid my fridge to see what else I had to make a sumptious lunchtime meal.  

Enter an apricot salsa made from a concoction of apricot, diced green beans, pine nuts and a touch of saffron.

Now to get the salmon skin extra crispy, I highly recommend scoring it first with a sharp knife. Scoring the surface of a protein allows the seasoning to penetrate, prevents the skin from curling, encourages fat to render, and creates more crispy bits. To do so, use a very sharp blade, draw knife down length of protein to make parallel ¼”-deep cuts spaced ½” apart from end to end.

Pan-seared salmon with apricot saffron salsa

INGREDIENTS:

PREP TIME: 15 min | COOK TIME: 10 MIN | TOTAL TIME: 25 mins | YIELDS: 1 serving

METHOD:

1. Dice apricots into small cubes. Repeat for the green bean.
2. Slice garlic cloves into slices. Soak the pinch of saffron in one tablespoon of hot water.
3. Using a very sharp blade, draw knife down length of protein to make parallel ¼”-deep cuts spaced ½” apart from end to end.
4. Heat a small frying pan on low heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and lightly fry the garlic slices, along with the pine nuts and green beans. Next add the chopped olives, saffron water and lemon zest.
5. Heat a saute pan on medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once oil simmers, put skin side of salmon down and let it fry for 3-4 minutes without moving it.
6. Flip salmon other side and continue gently pan frying for a further 3 minutes, until the middle turns opaque.7. Once salmon is done, transfer it to a serving plate and spoon the salsa on top before serving.