Sink your teeth into the seafood of Seattle

By Metro Creative

Certain locales are synonymous with particular types of food. Maine is known for its lobsters, while New Yorkers swear there is no better slice of pizza than one you might find in Manhattan.

In Seattle, which is situated along Puget Sound and just a short distance from the Pacific Ocean, seafood tends to reign supreme. But just because Seattle is a land far away for many people, that does mean those people cannot enjoy a taste of Seattle seafood in the comforts of their own dining rooms. Simply cook up the following recipe for “Reefnet Salmon With Salsa Verde” from Jill Lightner’s “Edible Seattle” (Sterling Epicure), and you will be singing Seattle’s praises in no time.

Reefnet Salmon With Salsa Verde

Serves 4

For the salsa verde:

½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup lightly packed fresh parsley

¼ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups loosely packed torn fresh-baked bread (without the crust)

¼ cup white verjuice or fresh lemon juice

For the salmon:

4 5- to 6-ounce skin-on reefnet-caught wild salmon filets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

To make the salsa verde:

Place the basil, parsley, mint, garlic, and salt in a food processor. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the chunks of bread and continue to process until the bread is gravel-size. Add the verjuice or a couple of squeezes of lemon, tasting for a balance of acidity and sweetness. Set aside at room temperature. (If making the day before, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.)

To cook the salmon:

Season both sides of the salmon filets with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick sauté pan, heat the olive oil until almost smoking over medium-high heat. Add the butter. As the butter is browning, add the salmon, skin side down. Using a spatula, press the salmon into the pan and decrease the heat to medium-low. Let the skin crisp for 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully flip the fish over in the pan. Turn the heat off and let the fish cook in the residual heat for another minute or so. (You may need to increase the cooking time, depending on the thickness of your salmon.)

When serving, place a salmon filet on each serving plate and spoon the salsa verde around the salmon.