Salmon with Pistachio Basil Butter
Submitted by Pancho
Baked salmon fillets topped with a compound pistachio basil butter melted over each serving. White wine in the pan keeps the fish moist. Ready in 20 minutes.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
15 minREADY
1 hrsThis is restaurant-grade salmon with minimal effort. A compound butter made from pistachios, basil, garlic, and lime juice gets chilled into a log, then spooned over oven-baked salmon to melt into a glossy green-flecked sauce. Twenty minutes of hands-on time and you have a dinner-party dish.
The compound butter can be made up to four days ahead. That’s the genius of the recipe: all the real flavor work happens before guests arrive, and all you do at service is bake and spoon. Keep a log in the freezer and you always have something elegant on standby.
White wine poured in the pan around the salmon does two jobs. It creates steam that keeps the fillets moist during the high-heat bake, and it picks up the butter juices at the end for a light jus to spoon around each plate.
The butter goes on after 10 minutes of baking, not before. Add it at the start and it melts away into the wine; add it at the two-thirds mark and it melts down the sides of the fish, leaving flecks of pistachio and basil clinging to the top.
Chef Tips
- Use a thick-center-cut fillet (at least 1.5 inches); thinner cuts overcook in the time needed to melt the butter.
- Unsalted butter lets you control the final seasoning.
- Toast pistachios briefly in a dry pan before processing for deeper flavor.
- Pull salmon from the oven when the center is still slightly translucent; carryover heat finishes it.
Variations
- Swap pistachios for pine nuts, walnuts, or toasted almonds.
- Use tarragon or dill in place of basil for a different herb profile.
- Serve over wilted spinach or with a side of roasted asparagus.
Ingredients
Directions
Process pistachios, 10 basil leaves and garlic clove in processor until finely chopped.
Add ½ cup butter and 1 teaspoon lime juice and process until incorporated into mixture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer butter mixture to small bowl.
Refrigerated until well chilled.
Note: pistachio butter can be prepared up to 4 days ahead.
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Butter 9×13-inch baking dish .
Place salmon fillets in dish in single layer.
Pour white wine over.
Season salmon with salt and pepper.
Bake salmon until almost opaque on top, about 10 minutes.
Place 2 tablespoons pistachio butter atop each salmon piece.
Continue baking until salmon fillets are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with basil if desired and serve immediately.
Comments
