Pan-Roasted Salmon in Mango Nectar

Let me introduce you to one of the easiest yet most elegant salmon recipes I've come across.  The only ingredients are salmon, mango juice, chives, and olive oil for the pan!  I put this meal together on Saturday in the amount of time it took PJ to watch the Kentucky Derby and then we packed it up for a sunset picnic in the park along with some haricots verts and watermelon for dessert.

Most fish recipes depend on some sort of acidic element like citrus, vinegar, or tomatoes, all of which PJ is avoiding.  So I was really excited to find one without any acid that still tastes great!  Even better, I read that mangoes are supposed to be soothing for the stomach and intestines.


A note about marinades:  This recipe calls for the salmon to marinate in mango juice at room temperature for 20 minutes, and then the marinade is boiled for 5 minutes and served as a sauce.  In order to make sure your food is safe to eat, the USDA suggests not letting fish, poultry, or beef sit out in a marinade for longer than 20 minutes.  It is also important that the marinade comes to a full boil and then simmers for 5 minutes in order to kill any bacteria that  may have been present.

Pan-Roasted Salmon Fillets in Mango Nectar
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Fish

INGREDIENTS:
4 salmon fillets, 6-8 oz each (other firm fish like striped bass, black cod, red snapper, rockfish, tilefish, or arctic char may also be used)
1 1/4 cups mango nectar*
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

*Note: Mango nectar is sold bottled as a drink in many stores.  If you can't find it or prefer to use fresh mango, substitute a peeled ripe mango and puree it in a blender with 3/4 cup water.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450.

Lay the salmon fillets in a baking dish in a single layer, skin side up.  Pour the mango juice evenly over them and let stand at room temperature for no longer than 20 minutes.  Drain the fillets, reserving the mango juice, and pat dry.

In a large ovenproof nonstick saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat.  Add the fillets, skin side down.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the skin is very crisp, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the saute pan to the oven and bake until the flesh is opaque on the outside but still slightly translucent in the center, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, pour the reserved mango juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer until slightly thickened for 5 minutes.  Pour over the salmon fillets, garnish with chives, and serve.

Serves four.