Celebrate with this refreshing and tasty Salsa Verde with Salmon. It’s vibrant, fresh, and packed with loads of flavours and textures
Salsa Verde with Salmon for Christmas
Before I start my babble about how amazing this Salsa Verde with salmon is, let me share with you how difficult it was to find a side of salmon that was under 1.5 kg (3.3lb). I visited 6 different fishmongers only to be told ‘Sorry, our salmon sides weigh over 2 kg (4.4lb)
Look, I’m always up for ‘go big or go home!‘ but in this case, I don’t have a choice as my built-in oven is tiny. There was no way a 2kg side of salmon would fit in there without having to cut it.
Down on my luck, I was about to give up and purchase a few pieces of salmon fillets instead. So on my 7th and last visit to our local fishmonger, I asked, ‘Do you have a side of salmon that weighs under 1.5kg?’ The man repeated my request. ‘You want salmon that weighs over 5 kilos?’. Don’t you just love communicating with masks on and talking over loud Christmas crowds?
He excused himself and went to check their stock in the back. He came back holding a side of salmon that looked promising. We both watched the scale in anticipation and it read 1.3kg (2.9lb) ‘OMG YES’ I said excitedly. I had to stop myself from throwing fist pumps in the air. ‘Would you like this one?’ He asked. ‘OMG, YES TAKE MY MONEY!’. No, I didn’t say that, but I sure wanted to.
This Christmas, say hello to this gorgeous Salsa Verde with Salmon. Doesn’t it look vibrant and spectacular? It’s just like a Christmas tree!
An entire side of a salmon baked to juicy perfection topped with a tangy, fresh and mouthwatering salsa verde. This Italian inspired salsa verde comprises mint, parsley, basil, anchovies, capers, sweet gherkins, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon and honey. For more textures and flavours, we finish this dish by throwing on some crumbled fetta cheese, home toasted macadamia nuts and pomegranate arils.
Don’t be a turkey
When we were growing up, my parents were never big on traditional Christmas feasts. Instead, they would prepare several family favourite dishes which included this salsa verde with salmon.
My brother, Vince, wanted turkey one time for Christmas after seeing it on TV. What Vince wanted, he got. That’s the advantage of being mum’s favourite child. She got him a frozen turkey and asked him to cook it for our family.
Mind you, Vince was only a teenager, and he had never cooked before, but somehow he was up for the task of roasting a massive turkey. He simply placed the turkey in a foil tray and roasted it in the oven for hours, with no seasoning or marinade. We were all waiting anxiously around the table for turkey to be done. It’s going to be incredible!
I was probably only 10, but I still remember how awful Vince’s turkey was. It was tough, leathery, and tasted bland. Mum, of course, thought it was just the turkey, as Vince could do no wrong in her eyes.
Since then, we banned turkey from our Christmas functions. That was, until I broke the ban a few years ago and gave turkey another chance. I’ve developed into a passionate cook and was pretty sure Vince didn’t do that poor turkey any justice.
With the help of Gordon Ramsay’s recipe, I made my first roasted turkey. When my family saw the turkey, it did not impress them. ‘Oh no, you didn’t’, they echoed. Long story short, turkeys are no longer banned from our Christmas. It was tender, delicious and flavourful.
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What is salsa verde?
Sounds like a fancy Latin dance, doesn’t it? Salsa Verde means ‘green sauce’. A herb sauce that’s served cold.
Italy, Spain, Germany and France have their own version of Salsa Verde. The one we are making here is Italian inspired salsa verde. This comprises mint, parsley, basil, capers, anchovies, garlic, vinegar and lemon.
For those that don’t like anchovies, like myself, don’t worry, it doesn’t have a dominate flavour in the sauce. The anchovies give the sauce a nice savoury hit and add depth.
Salsa verde is big on taste and simple to make. We just throw everything into the food processor and slowly drizzle in the liquids. The sauce is light, tangy and well balanced. A very refreshing cold sauce. Salsa Verde complements seafood, meats and vegetables. It would go fabulously with Surf and Turf – Steak & Lobster swap the garlic sauce for salsa verde.
The food processor will chop the salsa verde to a chunky sauce but if you want a finer texture, use a hand-held blender (stick blender).
Ingredients for Salsa Verde with Salmon
Salmon – You’ll need an entire side of a salmon weighing between 1 to 1.5kg (2 to 3.3lb). The salmon pictured above weighed 1.3kg (2.9lb). Leave the skin attached but debone the salmon. Your fishmonger should be happy to assist you with this. 4 or 5 Salmon fillets weighing between 1 to 1.5kg (2 to 3.3lb) in total would work too.
Crumbled Fetta – If you’re unable to find crumbled fetta you can make your own by grating firm fetta or pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds.
Pomegranate – Some specialty store sells just the pomegranate arils in a container. If you’re using the fruit, don’t cut it in half because not only will it be messy, it will also cut through the arils. Use a small sharp knife and cut through the tough skin only, then pull the fruit apart with your hands and remove the arils from the pith with your fingers.
How to make Salsa Verde with Salmon
Step-by-step guide with photos
Leave salmon at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced ovens. Cover a large baking tray with foil and place the salmon on top with the skin down. Dab the salmon with paper towels to remove any moisture, then brush the salmon flesh with olive oil. Sprinkle salt over the salmon and bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until cooked.
Whilst the salmon is baking, roast the nuts and make the salsa verde. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Place the macadamia nuts into the pan and stir regularly for a few minutes until fragrant. Place the nuts in a small bowl and set aside.
For the salsa verde – Place mint, basil, parsley, anchovy, garlic, capers and gherkins into a food processor. On medium speed process until it forms a chunky paste, then with the processor still running, slowly drizzle in the vinegar, lemon juice and the olive oil until combined. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, then mix in the honey and mustard with a spoon. Have a taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
Use the foil to lift the salmon from the tray and place it on the kitchen bench. Use a large flat spatula to separate the salmon skin from its flesh. Carefully Start with the tail and work up halfway, then do the same from the other side of the salmon. Use the foil to lift the salmon on a serving plate or board. Slowly slide the foil away from the salmon, using the spatula to assist, the skin should stick to the foil.
Salsa verde with salmon
Spoon on the salsa verde over the top of the salmon, then place the macadamia nuts, fetta and pomegranate arils on top.
Leftovers – Place the Salsa Verde in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The green colour may lose some vibrancy, but it’ll still be delicious.
For the Christmas ideas try Chocolate Bark With Candy Cane or this vibrant and delicious Prawn Halloumi Watermelon Salad
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.
A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.
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Cheers (I’ll drink to that) – Cat Tre
Salsa Verde with Salmon
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg whole salmon side fillet (or between 1-1.5kg/2-3.3lb) (NOTE 1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 60 gm macadamia nuts (roughly chopped)
- 2 tbsp crumbed fetta cheese (NOTE 2)
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils (NOTE 3)
For the Salsa Verde
- 1 cup mint leaves (packed)
- 1 cup basil leaves (packed)
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley (continental parsley, packed)
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp capers (drained)
- 2 tbsp chopped sweet gherkins (drained)
- ¼ cup light olive oil (or mild)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Leave salmon at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced ovens. Cover a large baking tray with foil and place the salmon on top with the skin down. Dab the salmon with paper towels to remove any moisture, then brush the salmon flesh with olive oil. Sprinkle salt over the salmon and bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until cooked.
- Whilst the salmon is baking, roast the nuts and make the salsa verde. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Place the macadamia nuts into the pan and stir regularly for a few minutes until fragrant. Place the nuts in a small bowl and set aside.
- For the salsa verde – Place mint, basil, parsley, anchovy, garlic, capers and gherkins into a food processor. On medium speed process until it forms a chunky paste, then with the processor still running, slowly drizzle in the vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil until combined. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, then mix in the honey and mustard with a spoon. Have a taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
- Use the foil to lift the salmon from the tray and place it on the kitchen bench. Use a large flat spatula to separate the salmon skin from its flesh. Carefully Start with the tail and work up halfway, then do the same from the other side of the salmon. Use the foil to lift the salmon on a serving plate or board. Slowly slide the foil away from the salmon, using the spatula to assist, the skin should stick to the foil.
- Spoon on the salsa verde over the top of the salmon, then place the macadamia nuts, fetta and pomegranate arils on top.
