By Bonnie S. Benwick
Even though this meal is lean and light, it appeals to the senses with color and contrast; the salmon and onion taste almost sweet set against the melange of berries. The fruit cooks just long enough to soften but not enough to break down.
Here are a few tips for cooking salmon in a pan on the stove top:
1. Start with fish that's close to room temperature. Take it out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes in advance, and season it before it goes in the pan.
2. Make sure the pan's hot before you put in the fillets; in this case, they go in skinned sides up.
3. Turn the fillets over when they are mostly opaque but not yet firm when gently pressed.
4. Cook for a shorter time on the second side; a little bit of translucence at the very center is a good thing.
5. Let the fish rest for a few minutes before serving; some carry-over cooking will happen.
2 servings
Serve with really good cottage cheese or with warm flatbread.
Adapted from "Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking With Power-Packed Berries," by Stephanie Pedersen (Sterling, 2016).
Ingredients
1/2 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
2 tablespoons liquefied coconut oil or grapeseed oil
4 ounces fresh, ripe strawberries
3 1/2 ounces fresh blueberries (about 1 cup)
6 ounces fresh sugar snap peas or snow peas
Two 4-ounce skinless salmon fillets, preferably center-cut and at least 3/4 inch thick
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces fresh raspberries (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons orange or grapefruit juice
Steps
Cut the onion into small dice.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until it is softened, with some golden edges.
Meanwhile, hull and slice the strawberries. Rinse and stem the blueberries, as needed. String the sugar snaps or snow peas.
Season the salmon fillets well on both sides with salt and pepper.
Use a spatula to push the onion to the sides of the pan. Add the salmon fillets, skinned sides up, at the center of the pan, and the sugar snaps or snow peas. Cook for about 2 minutes, then carefully invert the fillets; they should be lightly browned but not cooked through. Cook for about 1 minute on the second side, then add the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and citrus juice to the pan. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, gently stirring the mixture around the fish. The salmon should be cooked through.
Divide between individual plates; serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition | Per serving (using grapeseed oil and orange juice): 430 calories, 27 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 9 g dietary fiber, 19 g sugar
Washington Post
