Pan-Seared Salmon With Celery, Olives and Capers

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Pan-Seared Salmon With Celery, Olives and Capers
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(775)
Comments
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The salsa that I spoon over the salmon here is an explosion of contrasting flavors – sweet, salty and sharp – common in Sicilian cooking. I like serving this with sautéed greens and some bread.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ⅔cup/100 grams currants
  • Generous pinch of saffron
  • 4salmon fillets (about 4 ounces each), skin on
  • About ½ cup/100 milliliters olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 4sticks celery (about 6 ounces/180 grams), cut into ½-inch/1-centimeter dice, leaves removed and reserved for garnish
  • ¼cup/30 grams pine nuts, roughly chopped
  • Scant ¼ cup/40 grams drained capers, plus 2 tablespoons of their brine
  • 8large green olives, pitted and cut into ½-inch/1-centimeter dice
  • ⅓cup/20 grams parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1teaspoon lemon juice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

584 calories; 44 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 23 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 557 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cover the currants with boiling water and set aside to soak for 20 minutes. In a separate small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of boiling water with the saffron and also leave for 20 minutes or longer.

  2. Step 2

    Gently rub the salmon fillets with 2 teaspoons of the oil, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Set aside while you make the relish.

  3. Step 3

    Add ⅓ cup/75 milliliters of olive oil to a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the celery and pine nuts and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the nuts begin to brown (watch carefully as they can burn quickly). Turn off heat and stir in the capers and their brine, the olives, saffron and its water and a pinch of salt. Drain the currants and add them as well, along with the parsley, lemon zest and juice. Mix well and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add salmon fillets skin-side down and let cook for 3 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Reduce the heat to medium, flip the fillets over and cook 2 to 4 minutes more (depending on how much you like the salmon to be cooked).

  5. Step 5

    Divide the salmon on 4 plates and serve with the warm relish spooned on top. Scatter reserved celery leaves (if using) and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
775 user ratings
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Comments

NormBC

Two hints here: Use butter rather than oil to fry your salmon. It produces a better surface on the skin side and is less likely to result in your fish sticking to the pan. And let your salmon get to room temperature before frying it.

Iwan

Make sure not to cook the celery for too long. I think they are best when cooked but still retain a bit of bite. Also think about how much you love olives. It adds a lot to this dish but might overwhelm the other complex flavors. So try your olives before cooking to see how intense their flavor is. If they are not too strong go with the amount in the recipe; if they have a strong flavor perhaps reduce by an olive or two.

Tokyo Tony

We tried this, and it has potential. However, the salty capers overpowered the saffron, currants, almonds (in place of pine nuts) and olives. Next time we'll use fewer capers and leave out the brine. We substituted almonds for pine nuts because the Times has reported https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/19/opinion/making-pesto-hold-the-pine-nu... that the collection of Korean pine nuts negatively affects the ecosystem supporting Asiatic black bears and tigers.

Jane D

Loved this. It was really quick and simple to make. I actually airfriered the salmon for ease. The salsa was so tasty. Will definitely make again

Jennifer

I read the comments but followed the recipe exactly nonetheless. It was excellent. Fry the fish skin side down first! I don’t even like fish skin. But… this one, this way? So good.

Nathan

I would not agree with the recommendations to dial back the briny flavors--that might make it milder but would undo the vigorous contrasts. Two ideas I had to make it even more Sicilian: use fennel in place of celery or along with it; and try it with a fish like swordfish or red snapper.

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