Pan Seared Salmon with Chimichurri Sauce

This is my riff on a dish from Sobo Restaurant in Tofino, BC.

I usually serve this with pan fried potatoes and simple sauteed spinach. In my opinion, the spinach is substitutable, but not the potatoes!

Time: 1 hr
Difficulty: 3/5
Tested: YES
Serves: 2

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Ingredients

Chimichurri Sauce

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

• Juice of half a lemon

Potatoes

• 2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Spinach

• 2-3 cups spinach

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp fresh black pepper

• Juice of half a lemon

Salmon

• 2 - 1.5 inch pieces of your salmon of choice (fillets, skin-on), about half a pound per person

• 2 tbsp canola oil (any neutral tasting high smoke point oil will do)

• 2 tsp kosher Salt

• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

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Method

1. Preheat oven to 425 F

2. Chimichurri Sauce: In a food processor or blender add all ingredients except the olive oil. Blend on medium speed while slowly pouring the olive oil until fairly smooth and the sauce is emulsified (no oil floating). Set aside.

3. Hash Browns: In a non-stick pan, cook hash browns according to package instructions. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Salmon: Preheat oven-proof pan (cast iron or metal handle) over medium-high heat and add oil. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. When oil shimmering, add salmon fillets skin side up and sear for 1-2 minutes just until the top is golden brown and the fish is still raw in the middle. Flip the salmon onto the skin side and place pan in the oven. Cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness.

5. Spinach: While salmon is in the oven, heat a large fry pan over medium heat. When pan is warm, add oil and garlic and cook garlic just until it starts to turn from white (do not let the garlic burn!). Add the spinach, stir, cover with lid, and turn off heat under pan. Let wilt for 5 mins or until everything else is done. Right before plating, add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

6. Plating: In a shallow bowl or plate, start with a generous serving of hash browns, then stack the spinach on top of that, followed by the salmon, and then pour over some of the chimichurri sauce. Garnish with a sprig of parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!