Broiled Salmon with Spicy Citrus-Cilantro Paste and Crisp Crust
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 21, 2007
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled3 medium cloves garlic, peeled3 medium shallots, peeled2 medium jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded2 teaspoons grated lime zest 3 tablespoons lime juice from 1 or 2 medium limes2 tablespoons honey 2 cups loose-packed fresh cilantro leaves 3 slices high-quality white bread, crusts removed4 ounces plain high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough ⅛-inch pieces, about 1 cup, (thick-cut and kettle-cooked preferred; ridged chips in a pinch)1 whole side of salmon fillet, about 3 ½ pounds, pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed (see illustrations below)1 teaspoon olive oil ¾ teaspoon table salt Ground black pepper
Before You Begin
Heavy-duty foil measuring 18 inches wide is essential for creating a sling that aids in transferring the cooked fillet to a cutting board. Use a large baking sheet so that the salmon will lie flat. If you can’t get the fish to lie flat, even when positioning it diagonally on the baking sheet, trim the tail end. If you prefer to cook a smaller 2-pound fillet, ask to have it cut from the thick center of the fillet, not the thin tail end, and begin checking doneness a minute earlier.
Instructions
- Adjust one oven rack to uppermost position (about 3 inches from heat source) and second rack to upper-middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process ginger, garlic, shallots, jalapeño chiles, lime zest, lime juice, honey, and cilantro leaves until smooth, scraping down bowl as necessary, about 30 seconds; set aside.
- Pulse bread in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until processed into fairly even 1/4-inch pieces about the size of Grape-Nuts cereal (you should have about 1 cup), about ten 1-second pulses. Spread crumbs evenly on rimmed baking sheet; toast on lower rack, shaking pan once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss together bread crumbs and crushed potato chips in small bowl; set aside.
- Increase oven setting to broil. Cut piece of heavy-duty foil 6 inches longer than fillet. Fold foil lengthwise in thirds and place lengthwise on rimmed baking sheet; position salmon lengthwise on foil, allowing excess foil to overhang baking sheet. Rub fillet evenly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil salmon on upper rack until surface is spotty brown and outer 1/2-inch of thick end is opaque when gently flaked with paring knife, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove fish from oven, spread evenly with spicy citrus-cilantro paste, and press bread crumb mixture onto fish. Return to lower rack and continue broiling until crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
- Following illustrations below, transfer salmon and foil sling to cutting board, remove sling, and serve salmon from board.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
3 medium shallots, peeled
2 medium jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice from 1 or 2 medium limes
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups loose-packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 slices high-quality white bread, crusts removed
4 ounces plain high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough ⅛-inch pieces, about 1 cup, (thick-cut and kettle-cooked preferred; ridged chips in a pinch)
1 whole side of salmon fillet, about 3 ½ pounds, pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed (see illustrations below)
1 teaspoon olive oil
¾ teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
3 medium shallots, peeled
2 medium jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice from 1 or 2 medium limes
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups loose-packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 slices high-quality white bread, crusts removed
4 ounces plain high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough ⅛-inch pieces, about 1 cup, (thick-cut and kettle-cooked preferred; ridged chips in a pinch)
1 whole side of salmon fillet, about 3 ½ pounds, pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed (see illustrations below)
1 teaspoon olive oil
¾ teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
3 medium shallots, peeled
2 medium jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice from 1 or 2 medium limes
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups loose-packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 slices high-quality white bread, crusts removed
4 ounces plain high-quality potato chips, crushed into rough ⅛-inch pieces, about 1 cup, (thick-cut and kettle-cooked preferred; ridged chips in a pinch)
1 whole side of salmon fillet, about 3 ½ pounds, pinbones removed and belly fat trimmed (see illustrations below)
1 teaspoon olive oil
¾ teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To get to a broiled salmon recipe with flavorful flesh and a golden, caramelized crust, we broiled the fish until it was almost cooked through and then applied a thin coating of citrus-cilantro paste with a topping of fresh bread crumbs and crushed potato chips. We finished our broiled salmon recipe right under the broiler to make the topping crisp.
Before You Begin
Heavy-duty foil measuring 18 inches wide is essential for creating a sling that aids in transferring the cooked fillet to a cutting board. Use a large baking sheet so that the salmon will lie flat. If you can’t get the fish to lie flat, even when positioning it diagonally on the baking sheet, trim the tail end. If you prefer to cook a smaller 2-pound fillet, ask to have it cut from the thick center of the fillet, not the thin tail end, and begin checking doneness a minute earlier.
Instructions
- Adjust one oven rack to uppermost position (about 3 inches from heat source) and second rack to upper-middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process ginger, garlic, shallots, jalapeño chiles, lime zest, lime juice, honey, and cilantro leaves until smooth, scraping down bowl as necessary, about 30 seconds; set aside.
- Pulse bread in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until processed into fairly even 1/4-inch pieces about the size of Grape-Nuts cereal (you should have about 1 cup), about ten 1-second pulses. Spread crumbs evenly on rimmed baking sheet; toast on lower rack, shaking pan once or twice, until golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss together bread crumbs and crushed potato chips in small bowl; set aside.
- Increase oven setting to broil. Cut piece of heavy-duty foil 6 inches longer than fillet. Fold foil lengthwise in thirds and place lengthwise on rimmed baking sheet; position salmon lengthwise on foil, allowing excess foil to overhang baking sheet. Rub fillet evenly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil salmon on upper rack until surface is spotty brown and outer 1/2-inch of thick end is opaque when gently flaked with paring knife, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove fish from oven, spread evenly with spicy citrus-cilantro paste, and press bread crumb mixture onto fish. Return to lower rack and continue broiling until crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
- Following illustrations below, transfer salmon and foil sling to cutting board, remove sling, and serve salmon from board.
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