Salmon filet recipes - Gremolata

I like this of all salmon filet recipes for its simple preparation as well as the feeling of freshness that it imparts to a dish. Since salmon is an oily fish that can be on the heavy side, the lemon, herbs and garlic in gremolata gives the dish a nice "uplift".

Oops! Are we supposed to be talking about pasta recipes here? Sorry I got carried away and forgot to mention earlier. Although gremolata goes well with soups, stews and many other dishes, I first came across it in a pasta cookbook. Among salmon filet recipes, I feel this one goes particularly well with pasta.

In fact, gremolata reminds me of the classic pasta dish, spaghetti aglio olio, which is prepared with just garlic and olive oil. It's not because the two dishes taste similar. But both are simple to the point of being Spartan, yet utterly delicious (provided you use good quality ingredients like good pasta and good olive oil).

Here, the addition of salmon makes this dish more luxurious than spartan, but the pasta sauce is nonetheless very basic.

Actually, there are many ways to cook salmon and so, many salmon fitet recipes. And since salmon is generally well-liked, a lot of salmon dishes work well with pasta. But some go better with pasta than others. Click here for another of my favourite salmon filet recipes with pasta - with salmon and ricotta.

For now, let's enjoy this pasta dish with salmon and gremolata.

Pasta with salmon gremolata

• 2 stalks dill
• zest of 1 lemon, grated
• 2 colves garlic
  
  
• 4 slabs salmon fillet, about 500 grams
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
  
• 300 grams dried pasta, cooked according to packet instructions
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper (optional)
  

Method:

1. Finely chop the garlic and dill leaves, discarding the stems. Mix well with grated lemon zest.
   
   
2. Season salmon with sea salt and set aside.
   
   
3. While pasta is boiling, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and fry the salmon, for about 2 minutes on each side. Do not over cook the salmon and it's ok if it is slightly pink inside.
   
   
4. Once pasta is cooked, toss in 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the flat-leaf parsley, garlic and lemon zest and toss further.
   
   
5. Serve with a slab of salmon fllet on each plate, or with the salmon filet broken up into large flakes and mixed with the pasta.