I’ve been making an effort to try and eat more fish lately because it doesn’t actually happen very often. I’m aiming for 1-2 times per week and so far, so good. Recipes like this salmon with parsley pesto cream sauce help too!
I guess I don’t eat it much because It doesn’t always taste good to me, and I really have to be in the mood for it, unless it’s Loki Fish Co. smoked salmon. I love that stuff and can eat it much more often. Again though, it’s still expensive.
I think fish is much more enjoyable when it has a sauce, nut crust or glaze (remember my honey-lime glazed salmon?), so naturally, I whipped up a sauce. There will be leftover sauce, so feel free to mix some into warm zucchini noodles. It’s delicious, creamy and dairy-free.
Enjoy!
Salmon with Parsley Pesto Cream Sauce
For the salmon:
- 2 wild coho salmon fillets
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter, divided
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, divided
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9×9 pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Place fish fillets skin side down in the pan. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Then, dot half the butter on one fillet and half on the other. Then, squeeze 1 tsp lemon juice over each.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until fish is cooked through. Serve with parsley pesto cream sauce on top.
For the parsley pesto cream sauce:
- 1/2 cup curly parsley
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Dash of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Combine all ingredients in the food processor or a high-powered blender (I actually used my new Ninja Master Prep Pro System for this one!) and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasonings and olive oil quantity, if need be. Cream should be somewhere in the middle between thick and runny.
Naz (@CinnamonEats)
April 19, 2013 at 1:03 pmLooks delicious! I wanted to make a fish dish this weekend I might give this a go 🙂 Have fun ring shopping!
paleoinpdx
April 19, 2013 at 1:18 pmThanks, Naz! I’m super excited!!
Naz (@CinnamonEats)
April 19, 2013 at 1:23 pmLooking forward to reading about how you get along 🙂 Are you ring shopping for both of you?
paleoinpdx
April 19, 2013 at 1:23 pmYes, ring shopping for both!
Rhiarti
April 19, 2013 at 1:36 pmOooh pinning this! Tried salmon twice in the last month, and the first time in my life, so really keen for good recipes to make myself!
paleoinpdx
April 20, 2013 at 7:39 amThanks! I hope you enjoy it whenever you choose to make it!
Craving4More
April 19, 2013 at 3:26 pmI love that you used a parsley cashew cream sauce. Typically salmon is paired will dill – another one of those things I just despise. Parsley and cashews, on the other hand…yum! Way to go 🙂
paleoinpdx
April 20, 2013 at 7:42 amThanks, Ashley! That means a lot coming from you — someone who is so savvy at flavor profiles and combinations. I usually just guess on things that will taste good together (maybe you could teach me a thing or two)! I actually like dill, but had fresh parsley and cilantro on hand, so went with that (I also figured it’d taste fine with the salmon). To be honest, I never really have fresh dill on hand though, unless I’m buying it for a specific recipe.
Tonya
April 30, 2013 at 7:01 amMade this for dinner last night & it was great! Hubby & I both enjoyed the fresh flavor of the sauce paired with the salmon. Thank you for a great recipe – this one will be a fave repeat 🙂
paleoinpdx
April 30, 2013 at 8:52 amGreat! It makes me so happy when people like my recipes 🙂