Seared Salmon with Avocado Sauce and Tomato-Cilantro Salsa

Ingredientes

1½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes, roughly chopped

5 tablespoons lime juice, divided, plus lime wedges, to serve

Kosher salt

2 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 Anaheim chili, stemmed, seeded, cut into rough 1-inch pieces

1 habanero chili, stemmed and seeded

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1½ cups lightly packed fresh cilantro, divided

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped

Four 6-ounce center-cut salmon fillets (each 1 to 1¼ inches thick), patted dry

1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil

2 tablespoons salted butter

Instruções

In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside. In a blender, combine the scallions, both chilies, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the remaining lime juice and ¾ teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add ¾ cup of the cilantro and the avocado. With the blender running, stream in 3 tablespoons water and blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, scraping the blender jar. If needed, add up to 1 tablespoon more water to achieve the correct consistency. Set aside.

Season the salmon on both sides with salt. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the fillets flesh side down, reduce to medium and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip the fillets, add the butter and increase to medium-high. Once the butter stops foaming, spoon it over the fillets, adjusting the heat to prevent the butter from burning. Cook and baste the fish until the thickest parts reach 115°F to 120°F, or are nearly opaque when cut into, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice into the pan and baste the fillets once or twice more.

With a wide metal spatula, transfer the fillets to individual plates. Spoon about 2 tablespoons avocado sauce over each fillet. Add the remaining ¾ cup cilantro to the tomatoes and toss, then spoon over the salmon. Serve the remaining avocado sauce on the side, along with lime wedges.

Notas

Don’t shy away from using the habanero chili. Its fruity flavor pairs perfectly with the avocado. It does give bold spiciness to the sauce, but the richness of the salmon keeps the heat in check.

We borrow from Colombia’s take on guacamole—spiked with both lime juice and vinegar, as well as fresh chilies—to create an easy, no-cook sauce for salmon fillets. A fresh tomato-cilantro salsa finishes the dish, adding a bright, acidic note to balance the rich, savory fish.