I wanted to challenge myself to create dishes using all the herbs from my Organic Hanging Herb Garden. My first was a “Mint Challenge”. I made a trip to the Farmers’ Market to get some inspiration for my dish using mint. I found a beautiful display of blood oranges at the Farmers’ market. I knew then to incorporate those into this dish with a lovely salad dressed with a Blood Orange Vinaigrette.

This is my Mint And Walnut Crusted Pan-Seared Salmon.

Blood oranges originated in Sicily and Spain. They are grown in Calabria. Their juice resembles that of a ruby. Blood oranges are truly one of nature’s natural wonders. There are three components to this dish: the marinade, the salmon, and the salad dressing.  All three of these will include fresh mint.  What’s great about this dish is that everything can be prepared in advance. All you’d have to do is cook off the salmon and serve.

I’m starting with the marinade.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yields: 2 servings
Equipment: 1 (1-gallon) zip-lock baggie, 1 (10-inch) sauté pan, 1 (8-ounce) jelly jar with a tight-fitting lid, chef’s knife, measuring cup, Microplane, cutting board

Ingredients for the Blood Orange Marinade:
2 (6-ounce) center-cut salmon fillets, skins removed
1 clove of garlic, freshly-grated
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 blood orange, juiced (substitute blood orange juice)
2 tablespoons of soy sauce, low-sodium
1 tablespoon Agave nectar
1 tablespoon of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (substitute dried parsley flakes)
2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup of olive oil

Ingredients for the Arugula Salad:
4 cups of Arugula, cleaned and dried (2 cups per serving)
1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
2 blood oranges,*supremed
1/4 cup of frozen peas, thawed

Ingredients for the Walnut Mint Topping:
1/4 cup of walnuts, chopped
1 Blood orange, zested ( substitute a regular orange)
2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Blood Orange Vinaigrette:
1 blood orange, juiced (substitute blood orange juice)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
2 tablespoons Agave nectar
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup *E.V.O.O.

Instructions for Marinating Salmon Fillets:
Place all the ingredients for the marinade into a zip-lock baggie. Place the two salmon fillets into the bag. Remove all the air. Massage the salmon so both sides of the fish are coated. Place the baggie on a plate and transfer it to the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Instructions for the Arugula Salad:
On two serving plates (as seen in pictures above), place 2 cups of arugula leaves on each plate. Evenly divide the sliced onions, arranging them over the arugula. Do the same with the peas, dried cranberries, chopped mint, and orange segments.  Place the two prepared salads in the fridge until you’re ready to plate the salmon.

Instructions for the Blood Orange Vinaigrette:
In a measuring cup, add all the ingredients (except the olive oil) for the vinaigrette. Add the extra virgin olive oil last. Whisk together really well. Pour the vinaigrette into a jelly jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Set aside. Shake well before using.

Instructions for the Pan-Seared Salmon:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Preheat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove the salmon from the baggie. Shake off all the excess marinade. Place the salmon fillets carefully into the hot sauté pan. Sear the salmon on one side for about 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for another 6-8 minutes.

Instructions for the Walnut Mint Topping:
Place all the above ingredients, for the topping, into a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Bring the chilled prepared salads out of the refrigerator. Gently place the cooked salmon fillets on top of each chilled salad. Carefully spoon the walnut-mint topping onto each salmon fillet. Shake the jelly jar well before spooning the blood orange vinaigrette over the salmon and salad.

There you have it, my Mint and Walnut Crusted Pan-Seared Salmon.

Notes:
1) Tip: Prepare the salads, dressing, and the topping while the salmon is marinating.

2) *E.V.O.O. is an acronym for extra virgin olive oil.

3) *Supreme: The term supreme (suprême) used in cooking and culinary arts refers to the best part of the food. For example, a segmented orange.

4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/