During the beginning of the pandemic some local fisherman along the coast of California were selling freshly caught fish directly to the consumer and some local restaurants.
My friends BJ and Turko’s son Brendan is a fisherman up in NorCal and I was able to take advantage of one of his catches while up in Morro Bay.
I ended up splitting an 18 lb whole King salmon with a friend. The fillets were portioned out, vacuum sealed and frozen, as were their bones, head and tail. I was still in “shelter in place” mode, so I was thinking nothing could go to waste, besides, what’s wrong with a little fish stock for some future soups or stews.
This salmon is so delicious on its own, I often enjoy it with just salt and freshly ground pepper, pan seared, slightly underdone in the middle and a nice crispy skin.
This time I decided to give it a slightly Portuguese spin. I remember my mother making this Azorean style pan sauce called molho de Vilão. She would serve it on fried sardines, broiled mackerel and other varieties of fish. This was a simple but zesty combination of garlic, paprika, vinegar, chili paste and hint of cinnamon cooked in oil.
In this recipe I added tomatoes and fresh herbs, however the essence of this sauce was truly inspired by Adelina (my mom). Thank you for the love and inspiring this dish. There will be more to come!
Thank you BJ and Turko for making the salmon happen! I can’t wait for the next catch…even if I have to drive 51/2 hours for it.
Ingredients
- 4 4-6 oz. salmon fillets
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup of tomatoes diced
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup scallions sliced
- 1 tbs paprika
- pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tsp Portuguese chili paste (you can also use 1 tsp. Chinese chili paste sambal oelek or dried chili flakes but these options are spicier)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Directions
- Dry salmon fillets thoroughly with paper towels or a clean dish cloth.
- Brush fillets with a light coating of olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper
- Heat nonstick pan on medium/high heat for about 1 minute or until you can feel the heat with your hand a few inches away.
- Add salmon fillets with skin side up (I will be serving flesh side up in this dish) and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip fish over and cook for another 2 minutes, depending on how thick your fillet is and how you like it done (I prefer mine medium). I typically use my finger to check firmness. If it yields a a bit, it’s probably slightly under, and if it feels very firm, it’s probably well done. Keep in mind residual heat will continue to cook the fish once removed from pan, so try not to dry out your fish.
- Remove fish from pan and keep warm on a serving dish/platter.
- In the same pan, heat a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil until shimmering and stir in tomatoes, garlic, parsley, scallion, spices, chili paste and vinegar.
- Cook sauce until tomatoes start to release their juices and sauce starts to thicken slightly.
- Off the heat, taste sauce, adding salt and pepper, if needed and pour sauce over salmon fillets.
- Serve with your favorite vegetables, or as traditionally eaten with boiled new potatoes and some added sauce.
Serves 4