Seared Salmon with Baby Greens and Mango Salsa Vinaigrette
By transforming a mango salsa into a vinaigrette, you have a both a dressing and a sauce for the fish and leafy greens. This sweet, spicy salsa vinaigrette will complement any chicken or fish dishes that favor mangoes and tomatoes, such as shrimp, halibut and swordfish.
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), with skin
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 cups mixed baby greens, washed and dried
Mango Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced, seeded jalapeño pepper
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ripe mango, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup diced, seeded tomato
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 or 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- To make the vinaigrette, in a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, lime juice and honey. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until dressing is emulsified. Add the red onion, jalapeño pepper, garlic, cumin, mango, tomato and salt; combine with the dressing. Stir in cilantro leaves. If not using the dressing immediately, cover it and store in the refrigerator. Bring the dressing to room temperature before serving.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, flesh side down, and sear until a golden brown crust forms, about 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully slide a spatula under each fillet and turn over. Transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking, approximately 6 to 8 minutes, or until salmon is almost opaque throughout, but still moist. Try not to overcook.
- Divide baby greens among 4 individual plates. Carefully lift the salmon fillets, leaving the skin in the skillet, and place one fillet at the center of each plate. Whisk the vinaigrette and generously spoon it over the fish and greens.
Easy Tomato Seeding
Cut off the top of a regular-sized tomato or cherry tomato, turn upside down over sink and gently squeeze out seeds. (If all the seeds don’t release, that’s fine; you’ve gotten most of them.) For larger tomatoes, cut in half and gently squeeze seeds from either half. For this recipe, after seeding, cut into strips and cut strips into a tiny dice.