From DN Recipes by David Nagy · Food & Beverage
Salmon with Coconut Lime Cilantro Sauce
Published
Salmon with Coconut Lime Cilantro Sauce
Mustard seeds add flavor and crunch to this sauce, inspired by Samin Nosrat's Indian chutney in her new book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking (Simon & Schuster, $35). We love it on salmon, with spiced coconut rice (basmati rice mixed with toasted mustard seeds and unsweetened shredded coconut).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil* or canola oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 pieces boned wild salmon fillet (1 to 1 1/4 in. thick)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1 medium jalapeño, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
Heat a grill to medium-high (about 450°). Put 1 tbsp. oil and the mustard seeds in a small frying pan. Cook, covered, over medium heat until you hear the first seed pop. Add cumin and let sizzle, covered, 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, brush salmon on both sides with remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Sprinkle flesh sides with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Grill salmon, flesh side down (close lid if using gas), carefully turning once with a wide spatula, until opaque but still moist-looking in thickest part (cut to test), 9 to 10 minutes. Lift salmon off skin onto serving plates.
In a food processor, pulse toasted seeds, 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems, the green onions, remaining 1 tsp. salt, the jalapeño, and garlic until finely chopped, 10 to 12 times. Add coconut milk and lime juice; pulse to combine.
Top each fillet with 1/4 cup sauce and 1 tbsp. cilantro leaves.
*Virgin coconut oil is minimally refined, leaving more nutrients (including antioxidants) intact than in regular refined coconut oil. Find it at well-stocked grocery stores.