Salmon with Pistachio Pistou
In 7th grade, I started reading all of these home and food magazines while everyone else was reading Cosmo and Seventeen. My favorites were Southern Living, Martha Stewart, and Bon Appétit. I have kept files of all of the recipes I have cut out since then and I have had this Salmon with Snap Peas, Yellow Peppers, and Dill-Pistachio Pistou recipe saved since 2009. I wish I made it sooner! The pistachios were the best part!
To prepare the pistou, mix together the dill, chopped green onions and pistachios, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Don’t worry if the pistachios are not finely chopped. The added crunch is great with the salmon. Set this aside on the counter while the salmon is cooking.
Heat 1/2T of olive oil in skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper strips and sauté for about 2 minutes. They should soften a little bit. Add the sugar snap peas, garlic, and 1/4 cup water. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Stir in 1 spoonful of the pistachio pistou with the vegetables. The water in my skillet did not evaporate like the recipe described, so I just used tongs to remove the vegetables from the pan. Transfer the them to a plate or platter, and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Keep the skillet on the heat and heat 1T of olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Place the salmon in the skillet with the skin side down. Cook for about 3 minutes for the skin to get crispy. Turn over the salmon and cook for about 3 minutes more. I had to cook my salmon for longer because it was a bigger piece. Update: I recommend baking the salmon in the oven at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Serve the salmon over the vegetables and spoon the pistou over the top. You will definitely want to eat more pistou as you go along because the dill complements the salmon and the pistachio creates a diverse texture.
This is a great spring/summer time salmon recipe with the fresh vegetables. To make the recipe healthier, you can reduce the olive oil in the pistou and salmon cooking procedures. It was a bit oily. The bright colors of this recipe also make a great presentation for any company you have over.
