 |
Sicilian Broiled Salmon
Served with Spinach Parmagiano
|
|
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes |
- 2 lbs. spinach
- 3 lemons
- 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 4 salmon steaks, 1-1/2 lbs. total, preferably wild-caught salmon
- 1 ciabatta, or other delicious loaf of bread
Shopping List
- Dried oregano
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Sea salt
Pantry Items
- 9X13 baking dish
- Bread knife
- Chef’s knife
- Heavy skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Paring knife
- Salad spinner
- Spatula
- Tongs
- Whisk
Tools
- Wine: Serve this with a nicely chilled white – a Pinot Grigio or, if you can find it, a lovely white from Sicily (try Regaleali)
- Dessert: Gelato with biscotti
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Rinse the salmon, pat it dry, and refrigerate
- Preheat the broiler, adjust the rack
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine and refrigerate
- Prep
- Rinse and dry the spinach in the salad spinner. Trim off any tough stems.
- Finely chop the spinach.
- Rinse and pat dry the parsley, pluck 1 cup leaves.
- Peel 3 cloves garlic.
- Mince 2 cloves garlic.
- Take the fish from the fridge and rub the steaks on one side with the minced garlic.
- Measure out 1-1/2 tsps. oregano, and rub that on the other side of the steaks.
- Put the steaks in the non-reactive 9×13 dish and return them to the fridge.
- Squeeze 2 lemons through your fingers into a bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup lemon juice into a medium bowl. If you don’t have enough, squeeze the other lemon.
- Whisk in ½ cup olive oil.
- Crush 1 tbsp. oregano into the oil and lemon juice and whisk it in.
- Mince the cup of parsley leaves with the remaining garlic clove, and whisk into the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt.
- Pour all but 1/4 cup of the sauce over the fish steaks. Turn the steaks, and put them back in the fridge.
- Put the remaining 1/4 cup sauce in a sauceboat or a small bowl and put it on the table. Go ahead and set the table and slice the bread – this meal will come together quickly.
- Start Cooking
- Heat 2 tbsps. olive oil in the heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add as much of the spinach as will fit in the skillet – it can mound up over the edge.
- Cook the spinach, stirring constantly, until it begins to wilt.
- Keep adding spinach as it wilts, until it’s all in the pan. Cook, stirring, until all of the spinach is wilted, which will take about 7 minutes.
- Put the salmon under the broiler and cook it for about 4 minutes.
- Check the spinach – you want it tender but not mushy, so you’ll probably need to cook it another 3-5 minutes.
- Turn the fish after 4 minutes, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until it is translucent all the way through.
- Come back and check on the spinach. If it’s nice and tender, season it with 2 tbsps. lemon juice, and salt. Transfer it to a bowl and sprinkle it with the Parmigiano.
- Take the fish from the broiler (turn off the broiler) and put the steaks on a platter. Carefully cut the fish away from the cbones – it should come away in two nice pieces. Discard the bones. Let the steaks sit while you take the bread, wine and spinach to the table.
- Come back for the salmon, but before you take it to the table, drain away any juices it might have given up.
- Dinner is served!
