Salmon with Caramelized Leek Chimichurri & Citrus
Here’s a simple way to cook a salmon filet! The “cold pan method” works every time to crisp the skin and cook the fish to a perfect medium. Top with a caramelized leek chimichurri and seared citrus. See how it’s made here.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 leeks (instructions below)
2 tbsp. and ¼ cup olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Splash of white wine
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
2 skin on salmon filets (pick a fatty salmon, not Sockeye)
1 orange, sliced into ⅛” thick rounds
Flaky salt
2 lemon slices
Make it!
Remove the dark green ends of the leeks and slice the white part into ⅛” thick rounds. Add into a colander and rinse well under cold water. Shake off the excess water.
Caramelize the leeks! Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the 2 tbsp. olive oil until shimmery. Add the leeks and 3 large pinches of kosher salt. Stir occasionally for 20-25 minutes until the leeks have reduced to a third of their volume and have a golden hue. If there’s a lot of sticking, deglaze with a splash or two of white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
Make your chimichurri! In a bowl, add the cooled leeks, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, oregano, smoked paprika, two large pinches of salt, and the other ¼ cup olive oil. Mix until combined and taste. You may need to adjust by adding more salt, red wine vinegar, or red pepper flakes!
Cook the fish. Right before you’re ready to cook, salt the filets with a few pinches of kosher salt. Place them skin-side down into a COLD pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan to get even heat. Once the skin has pulled away from the pan and has a cracker-like crust, flip over for 1 minute on the other side. Remove and place each filet skin-side up on the plate (to keep the skin crispy!).
While the pan is still hot, add a splash of olive oil and your orange slices for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Assemble! Spoon the leek chimichurri over the salmon and garnish with a few orange slices. Top with flaky salt and add a lemon wedge, to squeeze as needed. Enjoy!
