Name: Almond Crusted Salmon With Lemon & Leek Crema
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: SALMON: 2 Tbsp. butter; 4 6 oz. skinless salmon fillets; 1/2 Cup sliced almonds - chopped; 1/4 cup fresh parsley - chopped; Zest of one lemon; 1/2 Tsp. kosher salt; 1/8 Tsp. fresh ground black pepper; 1/4 Cup all purpose flour; 1 Egg; beaten with a teaspoon of water; 2 Tbsp. olive oil; LEMON LEEK CREMA: 2 Tbsp. butter; 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts); cut in half; rinsed thoroughly and chopped; 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice; 1/2 Cup heavy cream

YIELDS:

4 servings

PREP TIME:

0 hours 20 mins

COOK TIME:

0 hours 10 mins

TOTAL TIME:

0 hours 30 mins

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ingredients

Salmon

2 Tbsp. butter

4 6 oz. skinless salmon fillets

½ Cup sliced almonds, chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Zest of one lemon

½ Tsp. kosher salt

1/8 Tsp. fresh ground black pepper

¼ Cup all purpose flour

1 Egg, beaten with a teaspoon of water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Lemon Leek Crema

2 Tbsp. butter

2 medium leeks (white and light green parts), cut in half, rinsed thoroughly and chopped

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

½ Cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Lemon Leek Crema

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat then add chopped leeks. Sauté the leeks for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook the leeks for about 20 minutes until very soft. Stir occasionally. Then add lemon juice and cook until almost all is evaporated. Stir in the cream and simmer a couple of minutes until thickened slightly.

2. Transfer the mixture to a blender and mix until really smooth. Strain the mixture back into the same pan pressing on the solids in the sieve to make sure you get all that delicious cream into the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper. You can keep this warm on the side or let cool, refrigerate overnight and reheat when you are ready to serve. (Personally, I like it made and served fresh)

Almond Crusted Salmon

1. Now set up your dredging stations. Put the flour on one plate. Mix the almonds, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper and place on another plate. Salt and pepper your salmon, on both sides. Dredge the fish in flour (shake off the excess) then brush one side of the fish with the beaten egg. Dip that egg side into the almond mixture. Press down so the crust sticks. Put the prepared fish to the side.

2. You’ll cook two fillets at a time. Add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of oil to a pan and heat over a medium high heat. Add the two fillets, almond crust side down and cook until the almonds are brown (about 4-6 minutes). Carefully, flip the fish over and finish cooking about 5 more minutes (or to your desired doneness).

3. Spoon a tablespoon or two of the crema on a plate and top with the salmon.

NOTE: This is one of my favorite meals in the spring. Everything is fresh and I’m so ready for a lighter meal. I usually serve this with a side of sautéed asparagus and my Pesto Fingerling Potatoes. If I’m serving this meal to guests, I’ll make the crema and the pesto earlier in the day. A couple of hour before my guests arrive, I’ll toss the potatoes with olive oil and get them on the baking sheet ready to go into the oven. I’ll dredge and coat my salmon and have them waiting in the refrigerator. This way, my kitchen is clean when guests arrive and all I have to do is pop the potatoes in the oven and cook the fish when the time is right. Right before the meal is to be served, I sauté the asparagus, toss the cooked potatoes with the pesto, reheat the crema and plate it up. It is beautiful and people always love it.