Salmon with dill pistachio pistou is the perfect recipe for using some of the dill that comes from the market in such generously-sized bunches. The freshly broiled fish topped with a pistou of flavorful dill and nutty pistachios is light, herby and so satisfying.
Pistou is a paste made from herbs and olive oil. While there is always an herb involved, the recipes differ from there, with some including cheese, nuts or garlic.
The first time I had pistou it was in the classic soupe au pistou, a Provençal vegetable soup served with pistou made from basil, garlic and olive oil. It was similar to pesto, but without the nuts and cheese.
This recipe makes more pistou than you need to top your salmon. Use the rest to top asparagus soup, add a dollop to eggs or stir some into steamed vegetables. Eat it out of the container with a spoon. (These are trying times. No one will judge you.)
Tips
- Pistou is often made using a mortar and pestle, which takes a bit more time, but will give you an authentic paste. You can also use a blender.
- Like pesto, a pistou recipe is flexible. You may want to adjust the amount of olive oil to make a thinner sauce. You might want fewer nuts. It’s a matter of taste.
- The salmon would be delicious grilled instead of broiled.
- I cook the salmon in one piece and then cut it, but for a beautiful presentation you can cut the salmon before cooking it to get nice clean edges. You’ll want a shorter cooking time if you cut it.
Ingredients
You need the following ingredients to make this salmon with dill pistachio pistou.
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- Small handful parsley
- 1 cup dill
- 1 cup toasted pistachios
- 1 1/4 cup olive oil (and a small amount to brush over salmon before cooking)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 pound salmon
- 1/2 lemon
Directions
Make the pistou.
Add the scallions, pistachio nuts, dill and parsley to a food processor and pulse a few times to start breaking down the nuts and herbs. Add the olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Blend everything together until it starts to be creamy. It won’t be perfectly smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Set aside while you cook the salmon.
Brush salmon with a little olive oil. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over it. Sprinkle with grated pepper and salt.
Move oven rack to the middle of the oven, about 6 or 7 inches from the broiler. Set broiler to high. Cook the salmon to the doneness you like (about 8-10 minutes).
Cut the salmon for individual servings and spoon a little pistou on top. Serve with rice.
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