September 6, 2022

Simple is best. A nice piece of fish, prepared well, with summer’s bounty of local vegetables : that’s a perfect meal. Today’s recipe honors the last of  fresh corn season. Virginia sweet corn is starting to peter out, but fortunately colorful autumn fruits and vegetables are taking its place at the stands.

It’s easy to overcook salmon. All you need is a quick turn on the grill or searing pan. Remember that fish will continue to cook a little more after removal from heat. During wild salmon season, sockeye or coho is preferred. I have come to rely on responsibly farmed Atlantic salmon for my recipes year round. If salmon is not your thing, any meaty fish will love this salsa. Homemade chunky salsa is not as labor intensive as it looks. This is a showy meal with little prep!

this lemony basil salsa also goes great with chips

The majority of seafood recipes in this collection feature shrimp, scallops or smoked salmon. The only fish dish I see in my archives is Flounder with Balsamic Fall Vegetables. This is a situation I must remedy, since I eat fish several times each month. My clients get the lovely center filets and I get the tail, too thin to offer them. My treatment of these tail pieces is so simple that I deem sharing a recipe as unworthy. I’ll need to put on my creative hat.

Salmon with Cucumber Corn Salsa

recipe by Michele Humlan, The Good Eats Company

makes four servings

ingredients 

kernels from one ear sweet corn
½ English cucumber or regular cucumber, peeled if waxed, or whole Persian cucumber, diced finely
⅓ cup finely diced firm plum, grape or cocktail tomato
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
juice of one small lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for fish
fine sea salt
fine white or black ground pepper
few shakes of chipotle powder
four salmon filets, 4-6 ounces each
optional garnish : more basil leaves

directions 

1. Make salsa up to one hour ahead : combine corn, cucumber, tomato, basil , shallot, lemon juice, tablespoon of olive oil, pinch of fine sea salt and chipotle powder to taste.
2. Heat grill to medium high (you can also use cast iron grill pan on stovetop).
3. Brush room temperature salmon filets with more olive oil and season with salt and white or black pepper.
4. Grill presentation side first about 3 minutes, then other side to desired doneness, another couple of minutes; note that fish will continue to cook a little more off heat.
5. Spoon salsa over salmon filets and garnish if desired with fresh basil leaves.