Sesame Salmon with Cherry Salsa

Next Sunday Fairmount Market customers can look forward to the arrival of The Salmon People offering wild, sustainably harvested Alaskan salmon. Market regulars from last year will remember Linda Castleman's delicious fresh and smoked salmon offerings.

In anticipation of this year's salmon harvest, I tried out a food52 recipe for sesame encrusted salmon, paired with a cherry and basil salsa with ingredients from SLO Farm and Songbird Farm.

Salmon goes well with almost anything, but is especially nice with fruit. A plum and herb salsa would also be delicious (look forward to SLO Farm's plums in the coming weeks). This salmon recipe was easy to prepare. You coat the fish with sesame seeds and sear it, flesh side down, until the seeds are golden and toasted. Then finish it skin side down with some red wine that cooks into a tasty sauce. Serve with boiled new potatoes, and enjoy the remaining bottle of wine. 

Sesame Encrusted Salmon with Cherry Salsa

for the salsa

1 large handful cherries, pitted

3 basil branches

salt and freshly ground pepper

for the salmon
1 lb salmon fillet
1/8 cup sesame seeds
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup light red wine, such as a Pinot Noir
salt and freshly ground pepper


1. Prepare the salsa. Pit the cherries and put in a food processor or mini-chopper with the washed basil leaves. Pulse to chop into a coarse salsa. Remove to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and let sit so that the flavors meld while you prepare the salmon.


2. Salt and pepper the salmon fillet. Coat the flesh side with sesame seeds, pressing them down.


3. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil. Place the salmon fillet flesh side down so that the sesame seeds will sear into the flesh. Cook for about 7 minutes. Flip so that the skin side is down. Pour over the red wine. Cook the salmon for another couple of minutes and remove to a serving platter when the flesh is still pink in the interior. 


4. Simmer the wine and reduce by half. Pour the wine sauce over the salmon fillet and top with the cherry salsa.