Salmon with Snap Peas, Yellow Peppers & Dill-Pistachio Pistou

Made this for dinner last night and my whole family loved it - goes into our list of faves and is very easy to make.

A chunky pistou with full pistachio flavor adds depth to this fresh salmon dish. Want even more vegetables? Slice lemon cucumbers (a wonderful farmers' market variety that looks somewhat like a yellow tomato) and add a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of dill to make the perfect starter.

4 servings
From Bon Appetit
August 2009

Ingredients
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions (about 2)
1/2 cup shelled natural pistachios or almonds, toasted, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons pistachio oil or extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow bell peppers or orange bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup water
4 6-ounce salmon fillets

Preparation
Mix dill, green onions, pistachios, and 1/4 cup oil in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Pistou can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add snap peas, garlic, and 1/4 cup water; sprinkle with salt. Sauté until vegetables are just tender and water evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 rounded tablespoon pistou. Transfer vegetables to platter; tent with foil to keep warm. Reserve skillet (do not clean).

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon, skin side down, in skillet; cook until skin is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn salmon and cook until almost opaque in center, about 3 minutes longer. Arrange salmon fillets over vegetables on platter. Spoon some pistou down center of each fillet and serve, passing remaining pistou alongside.

[wonko]

This sounds good!

Whenever I cook salmon at home, the skin kinda slides off unevenly during cooking.  Maybe I'm flipping too soon?  Presentation-wise, it just looks messy for the skin to come off as it does in my case.  I'll try more patience next time I get out my grill pan!

The sauce sounds really nice and summery.

[TrudieC]

My garden has done really well this year so am looking for lots of recipes to use up sugar snap peas, swiss chard, zucchini and patty pan squash that are mature right now.  The peas are awesome in this.

[Myown]

sounds great! yum!

[ginger899]

I love food like this! This recipe sounds wonderful. Am going to try it. Thanks.