The presentation begins when you plate the dish with a coating of Pipian Verde, a simple mole sauce (pronounced MOH-lay) made from roasted tomatillo, garlic, jalepeno peppers, and onions, thickened with toasted pumpkin seeds. Place the pumpkin seed-crusted salmon over the mole sauce, and pour two glasses of a light, crisp white wine. Lift your glasses and toast to your good fortune. Place a forkful of the salmon with the pipian verde into your mouth. Your eyes will slowly close to fully experience the vibrant sensations: the soft crunch of the toasted pumpkin seeds, the silky texture of the salmon complimented by the fresh flavors of the pipian verde. Just divine!
pumpkin seed-crusted salmon with pipian verde sauce
Serves 6
basic salsa verde
6 large tomatillos, husked
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 to 3 jalapeno or serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the tomatillos, onion, and garlic in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes until lightly browned and soft; or you can grill them until charred. Combine all ingredients in the jar of an electric blender. Add chiles, cilantro, salt and pepper, and puree until the desired consistency; either chunky-smooth or completely smooth. This sauce will last for about a week stored in the refrigerator in a nonreactive container.
pumpkin seeds, salmon and pipian verde sauce
2 cups pumpkin seeds
4 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups salsa verde (see above)
6 skinless salmon fillets
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
If you are cooking for 2 – 4 just use less salmon fillets and 1 egg white
I would make all of the pipian verde. You can use this for other dishes, even a dip with chips or crudite.
Note: You will need a large, oven-safe nonstick skillet to finish this dish off in the oven.
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the pumpkin seeds in 2 tablespoons of the oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and spread evenly on a baking sheet to lightly brown and become crisp, 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove the pumpkin seeds and turn the oven up to 375 degrees F.
In the jar of an electric blender, pulse the pumpkin seeds until just coarsely ground. Do not over blend. Remove half of the seeds and set them aside in a flat dish or pie plate. Save a few pumpkin seeds to garnish each dish. Pour the salsa verde into the jar with the remaining seeds and puree until smooth.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper and brush the top side of each fillet lightly with egg white. Carefully press the egg-coated side into the ground pumpkin seeds
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the fillets, crusted side down, and transfer the pan to the oven for 3 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and crispy. Using a spatula or tongs, turn the fish, return the pan to the oven and cook for 3 more minutes, cook the fish to medium. Add 1 more minute of cooking if you prefer your fish more well done.
While the fish is cooking, in a small saucepan, heat the Pipian Verde sauce over medium heat until hot.
Coat each dinner plate with about 1/3 cup of the sauce, lay a fillet on top, garnish with a few toasted pumpkin seeds, and serve.
