Sauteed salmon filets with butter lettuce pesto recipe

June 11, 8:15 PMDetroit Cooking ExaminerCourtney Monigold

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Photo by:  Courtney Monigold, Salmon with Butter Lettuce Pesto

Fish should be on your weekly meal rotation! It’s light, it’s good for you, and in the summer, it’s easy to find quality fish in season!

If you are looking for a place to start, I would recommend Salmon. Salmon is an easy fish. I say easy because you can almost find some species of salmon in season year round, plus it’s a fairly firm fish and hard to mess up. Salmon is also a great dish to serve for company because most people like it.

If you serve it with this tender butter lettuce pesto, you may just reach your fish nirvana!
 

Foodie Info: The butter lettuce pesto is a lighter version of traditional pesto. It’s not as pungent in flavor and there is no need for garlic because that may over power the butter lettuce. Leftovers can be put in freezer bags, or an air tight container for easy prep for another dish. (Try it over beef tenderloin!)

Foodie tip: Not sure how to cook fish at home? Check out my ‘How to and fish tips’!
 

Sauteed Salmon Filets

Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon filet with skin on
• Fleur de sel
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet (preferably stainless steel-I use All Clad). Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, just to coat the pan.

Once the pan is piping hot, add the Salmon skin side UP. Cook about 4 minutes per side. The skin of the fish should come off very easily (unless you like to eat the skin in which case its rich in nutrients!)
 

Butter Lettuce Pesto
Recipe inspiration from Bon Appetit June 2009

• 1 head butter lettuce (also called Boston, Bibb)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• Kosher Salt/freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a food processor, process the lettuce and basil leaves. Add almonds, pine nuts, and white wine vinegar, pulse the machine again until nuts are fully broken down and mixed in. With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil and process until fully incorporated. Season with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt

For more fish recipes check out my Fish section on Examiner!