Pistachio Crusted Salmon
For the few of you who follow me (that’s you mom!), you will have noticed that I have been absent as of late. There is no real reason other than life gets busy. I was volunteering for the Canadian Cancer Society who had an event in June that required a lot of my time and now that COVID restrictions have lifted and my children are a little older, we are driving around to activities most evenings. I have been turning out the same quick weeknight dishes on repeat with little motivation and time for weekend project cooking. There have been a lot of quiches, salads, tacos, and my new favourite- a simple fried egg on sourdough bread topped with chili crisp (more on this soon I promise). Delicious but nothing I felt compelled to put to paper.
Well I am back, newly inspired and ready to completely embrace summer cooking with all of it’s grilled, produce forward, quick cooking loveliness.
This recipe was inspired by a fabulous dinner party I attended this Spring at my friend Maria’s house. She comes from a family of famously good cooks (Zia Vettese’s sauce is a thing of legends in our town). I was pleased to learn that her husband is also excellent in the kitchen and especially adept at the smoker. It was the perfect dinner, company and all around evening. The main dish was a large piece of salmon, encrusted with a mustard, pistachio, and Parmesan topping and slowly smoked. The great part about this recipe is that it can be easily customized to a week night dinner that is as healthy as it is delicious. It can also be easily adapted to more or less people (use a larger piece of fish, or multiple filets, and double or triple the toppings).
Pistachio Crusted Salmon
1/2 large Salmon Filet (1 to 1/2 lbs)
1/2 cup pistachios
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp honey Dijon mustard
In a food process, pulse the pistachios until coarsely chopped. Add in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and pulse again to combine.
Pat the salmon fillet dry with a paper towel and place skin side down on a baking tray. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and then rub on the honey Dijon mustard. Cover the salmon with the pistachio crumbs and press with your fingertips to adhere the pistachio crust to the mustard base.
On the Grill: Prepare your charcoal or gas grill for two zone cooking with indirect heat (only place your charcoal on one half of your grill, or only lite one half of the burners- your salmon will be placed on the cool half). You are aiming for an internal BBQ temperature of 300F.
Place the salmon on the cool side of the grill, skin side down. Grill on indirect heat until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 120-130F (it should just begin to flake). Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
In the Oven: Preheat the oven to 300F. Transfer the prepared baking tray in the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 120-130F (it should just begin to flake). Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.