Pan Seared Basil Pesto Salmon
Pan Seared Basil Pesto Salmon. Using Secret Island Salmon to bring you guys this delicious Whole30 recipe. Healthy January anyone?! This salmon dish has allll the veggie goodness and is paired with basil pesto and a little pesto cream sauce. The sauce is perfect for dunking all that crispy cauliflower, roasted potatoes, and golden seared salmon.
Secret Island Salmon is 100% vertically integrated from ocean to plate and completely transparent about their process. Their salmon is caught, processed, and flash-frozen at peak freshness, all within hours of harvest. This Chilean salmon is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and high levels of Vitamin D which are essential nutrients for a healthy immune system. They're also BAP certified, which is the most comprehensive and best-known certification system for ensuring sustainability and eco-friendly production. It’s not only healthy, but it’s absolutely delicious! You know we eat a lot of salmon around here so we are all about this one !!
And not only are we all about this salmon, but we are all about this recipe to go along with it. A perfectly pan seared salmon topped with fresh basil pesto and paired with crispy roasted potatoes and crispy roasted cauliflower. Finally serve it all alongside some creamy pesto sauce too. Because you need sauce for dunking all this delicious goodness in.
Cheers to a Saturday salmon dish. As you guys know, salmon is one of my all time favorites. So I am always more than happy to celebrate the weekend with a fun and delicious veggie packed salmon dish !! And a cocktail…of course ;)) !!
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower; cut into pieces using a knife to give each piece a flat surface
1/2 cup olive oil; divided
salt and pepper
2 large russet potatoes; sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
3 (6 ounces) Secret Island salmon filets
fresh basil leaves for serving
For the Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add the cauliflower. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 425 oven for 20 minutes or until golden on one side. Flip over and roast for an additional 10 minutes or until completely caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water, add the baking soda and potato rounds. Return to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. This ensure the potatoes become crispy on the outside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in a 450 degree oven for about 10 - 15 minutes or until crispy on one side. Flip over and roast for an additional 10 minutes.
Make the pesto. Add the basil, walnuts, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times. Add the parmesan and pulse several more times. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil. Place in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and about 1/4 cup of the pesto. Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the salmon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. When the oil is hot, add the salmon skin-side up and sear for 4 minutes until caramelized. Flip over and cook an additional 2 - 3 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve the salmon over the potatoes. Serve alongside cauliflower and creamy pesto sauce. Drizzle with the remaining pesto.
