Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

My now ONE year old (Yikes!  How did that happen?!) has been a fish lover ever since his first bite.  In fact, he will eat salmon over everything else on his plate when give the chance.  That being said, fish has become a regular weekly meal in our house, so I'm always on the hunt for new and delicious recipes to try.  And this, my friends, is most definitely a keeper.  Everything about it absolutely, positively screams "Spring!"  The sauce is delicate and scented with lemon, while the peas are laced with a refreshing hint of mint.  Together they make the perfect pairing for a heart healthy filet of salmon. 

This meal is so refreshing, and it livened up my rotation of weekly "go to" fish recipes.  It came together pretty quickly and my entire family cleaned their plate.  In fact, my almost 1 year old kept asking for more and more salmon.

This recipe is now sitting pretty at the top of my rotation of fish recipes, tied of course with my other favorite, Panko Crusted Salmon.  So if you're looking for something just a tad bit different from your ordinary fish recipe, then you most definitely will want to give this one a shot.  I'm already planning to make this one again! 

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

Ingredients

 Lemon Brodetto:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Puree:

• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 (4 to 6-ounce) salmon filets
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Lemon Brodetto:  Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan.  Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes.  Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth.  Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.
2. Pea Puree:  In a food processor, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Puree until combined.  While the processor is running, add the olive oil in a steady stream drizzle and puree until desired consistency is reached (I stopped when mine was about the consistency of a thick pesto).  Transfer to a small bowl and add the parmesan cheese.  Mix until combined and set aside.
3. Salmon:  Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet.  Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste and add to the hot skillet.  Sear until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side.  Flip and continue cooking until salmon is opaque and flakes easily, about 2 more minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.
4. To assemble:  Add the tablespoon of chopped fresh mint to the Lemon Brodetto sauce and divide between 4 shallow dishes.  Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree in the center of each bowl, and top with a salmon filet.  Serve immediately.

*Slightly adapted from foodnetwork.com.