Roasted Salmon with Green Harissa

A great tip for enjoying fast, easy meals on weeknights is to prepare a flavorful sauce or marinade in advance and use it to brighten up dishes all week. This green harissa sauce is different than its red counterpart, and reminds me of a stronger flavored pesto. The jalapenos add a nice spicy kick and mingle with the fresh herbs, spices, and lemon to create a sauce that would make anything taste good. I prepared it over the weekend and served it with some simply roasted salmon for a super quick meal. Make extra and serve it with chicken, roasted vegetables, or as a spread it sandwiches.


Roasted Salmon with Green Harissa:
For Sauce

• Combine 1 chopped jalapeno,* 1/3 c. loosely packed parsley leaves, 1/3 c. loosely packed cilantro, 2 thinly sliced scallions, 1 small cloves of smashed garlic, the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tbsp. toasted cumin seeds,** 1/2 tbsp. ground coriander, and a large pinch of salt in a blender.
• Add in 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil and blend until a smooth paste forms.***
• Set aside, or cover surface directly with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

For Salmon

• Season two 4 oz. boneless skin-on salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tbsp. canola oil in a large oven-proof skillet over high heat until very hot and almost smoking.
• Add in the salmon, skin side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer salmon to a 375F oven and cook for another 3 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
• Divide salmon onto plates and serve with green harissa sauce.

Serves two

*Remove the seeds or keep them in for extra heat.

**To toast cumin, place seeds in a dry skillet for 3 minutes over medium heat, or until fragrant. Can use seeds or ground spices for both cumin and coriander.

***You may need to add a little more oil depending on how thick you want the sauce.