July 11, 2019

Cumin-Spiced Salmon with Cilantro Sauce

Name: Cumin-Spiced Salmon with Cilantro Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cilantro (leaves and tender stems, rough chopped); ¼ cup chopped chives (or 3 scallions) (rough chopped); 1 garlic clove (rough chopped ); 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar; ¼ cup olive oil (extra virgin); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste); 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cumin; ½ teaspoon paprika ( or smoked paprika if you have it); 2 tablespoons olive oil; kosher salt and ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds skin-on salmon fillet, cut into four even pieces (skin must be de-scaled either by the fish monger or you)

Cumin-Spiced Salmon with Cilantro Sauce uses cilantro as the base for the herb sauce which is a refreshing change from the more commonly used basil. The cumin-spice seasoning mixture adds great flavor to the salmon and perfectly complements the cilantro sauce. Generously spoon the sauce over a piece of juicy, moist salmon with perfectly crisp skin and enjoy the complexity of flavors this dish offers.

Jump to Recipe

Salmon Fillets

Put salmon pieces on a foil or parchment-lined pan.

Cumin Oil

For the cumin oil, mix the cumin, paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Coat Salmon with Cumin Oil

Thoroughly coat all sides of each piece of salmon with the cumin oil as shown above. Place skin-side up to achieve wonderfully crispy skin.

Cilantro Sauce

Combine the cilantro, chives, garlic, vinegar and olive oil in the food processor.

Pulse until the pesto achieves a creamy consistency.

Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Broil Salmon

Broil fish for 8-10 minutes on the highest rack possible for medium-rare. Leave fish undisturbed and oven door slightly open. Once the fish is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and either place on individual plates or a serving platter skin-side up to maintain skin crispness, as I have done in the photo below.

Cumin-Spiced Salmon with Cilantro Sauce

Spoon the cilantro pesto over the salmon and serve. Be sure to eat the skin…it’s pure crispy deliciousness.

Print Recipe

Cumin-Spiced Salmon with Cilantro Sauce

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chives, cilantro, cumin, olive oil, paprika, salmon

Servings: 4 people

Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, rough chopped
¼ cup chopped chives (or 3 scallions) rough chopped
1 garlic clove rough chopped
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste

FOR THE SALMON:

1 ¾ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if you have it
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds skin-on salmon fillet, cut into four even pieces skin must be de-scaled either by the fish monger or you

Instructions

THE SAUCE:

Combine cilantro, chives, garlic, vinegar and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until you achieve a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

THE SALMON:

Preheat broiler on high.
Combine cumin, paprika and olive oil in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
Season salmon with salt and pepper and place on a foil or parchment paper-lined pan.
Coat salmon with cumin-spiced olive oil mixture.
Place salmon skin-side up on the pan and transfer to the oven, and broil until fish is opaque and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove salmon from oven and transfer to a platter or individual plates. Spoon cilantro sauce over the salmon.

Notes

Mint or Basil could be substituted for the cilantro.

I buy the salmon at Whole Foods or the Korean Market. At Whole Foods, they’ll slice the salmon into pieces for me. (Don’t buy the pre-sliced portions…they jack the price up on those.) When I buy fish from the Korean market, I slice up the fillet myself using my kitchen shears (a must-have kitchen gadget!).

The salmon can be grilled but I find broiling to be the best way to cook salmon.

Don’t make the sauce too far in advance. The air will discolor and dull the beautiful, vibrant green color.

Recipe by Alison Roman and posted by cooking.nytimes.com and slightly modified by me.

If you like this recipe, you may also like these GFchow recipes. Sugar Seared Salmon, Pan Seared Tuna with Avocado and Soy-Lime Dressing, and Avocado and Cilantro Salad with Homemade French Dressing.

GLUTEN FREE DISCLAIMER

The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.