Pan-Fried Salmon with Curly Endive and Christmas Lima Beans
Serves 4
Pan-frying salmon is quick and easy. An added bonus is that pan-frying helps prevent over-cooking fish because you need to stand close by it while it cooks. Christmas Lima Bean Salad may be made well-ahead. If it is, this dish makes a quick weekday meal. Before serving refrigerated bean salad, remove it from refrigerator at least 1 hour, or put it in microwave on medium for approximately 2 minutes.
1 pound wild-caught salmon fillets
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head curly endive (approximately 8 cups cleaned and chopped)
1/4 cup chiffonade-cut fresh mint
1 recipe Christmas Lima Bean Salad (see recipe here)
Wash salmon and dry it well. Using needle-nosed pliers, remove as many pin-bones from fillet as possible. Skin fish, if necessary, and cut into 4 even pieces. Season fillets on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let seasoned fish rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking.While fish is resting, wash curly endive, dry it well, and roughly chop into bite-sized pieces. In large bowl, toss curly endive with mint and Christmas Lima Bean Salad. Taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Divide endive and bean mix between 4 plates.
Heat olive oil in pan until it’s hot, but not smoking. Turn heat to medium high, and add salmon. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until pan side of salmon is lightly browned. Turn over and cook for 1 – 3 minutes, or until salmon is done to your taste. The exact cooking time depends on the fillets’ thickness; keep in mind salmon tastes better slightly underdone than it does when it’s overdone. Place hot salmon fillets on top of endive and beans. Serve immediately.