Pistachio + Pecan Crusted Salmon
serves 4-6

I eat salmon at least once a week. Personally, I enjoy it baked in the oven with lemon, salt, pepper and a little extra virgin olive oil. Done. But the men in my life are my muses when it comes to thinking a little bit more creatively about salmon preparation. Thank you Uncle Al and Dad, your picky palates and love for sauces, marinades and crusts inspired this weeknight meal. The combined use of a marinade and crumble on the salmon created a sweet, salty and buttery finish to every bite of fish.
Looking to up your weeknight salmon dinner game? Give this a try for yourself or guests. The lemon, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil will always be there for a simple, solo evening of cooking at home. Sometimes adventure is called for. Adventure is necessary in all areas of life - from the kitchen to, work and finding new paths within ourselves. You’d be surprised how cooking and making new meals really can open up a whole new world.

Salmon has major brain health benefits which is why I’ve been preparing it weekly for my family. OMEGA3 rich with health fats that are anti-inflammatory and a gift to the heart and mind. Wanna feel all kinds of good? Eat a serving of salmon a week for better health and wellness. If you’re cooking for more than 4 people or having guests, I suggest using a wild (sustainable and healthier, unlike farmed fish which is fed on processed meal), whole, boneless fillet of salmon because it presents beautifully when taken out of the oven and placed on the table. You can also cut the salmon into 6 oz pieces and crust them individually but, again, I think the whole filet has presence. We were a group of 4 and this was a 1.5 lb filet, which made it perfect for dinner and leftovers the following day. I served the leftovers with soft scrambled eggs and sourdough, it made yet another heart healthy meal for breakfast.

You will want to remove the salmon from its packaging and dry it with paper towels so there is no residual liquid or water on the fish. From here, you’ll have a clean slate to top it with the tangy and sweet dijon, garlic marinade.

**Pistachio + Pecan Crust alongside Dijon Garlic Marinade**

The marinade is simple to prepare with:

—Extra Virgin Olive Oil
—Dijon Mustard
—Garlic
—Honey or Maple Syrup
—Salt + Pepper

Admittedly, the crumble can be slightly more time consuming to make if you have to de-shell the pistachios, so here’s what I recommend along with the remaining ingredients:
—Salted, Unshelled Pistachios
—Roasted Salted Pecans, optional but super tasty
—Seasoned Panko Bread Crumbs, you can use regular breadcrumbs - but I find the panko has more texture and the size stand up against the nuts (once they’re crushed)
—Salt + Pepper

Pistachio + Pecan Crusted Salmon
serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 x 1.5 pound whole, boneless fillet of salmon
1/4 c roasted, salted, unshelled pistachios, crushed *I use the food processor for ease
1/4 c roasted, salted, pecans, crushed *I use the food processor for ease
1/3 c seasoned panko breadcrumbs
1 T Dijon mustard
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T Honey or maple syrup
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped/minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Extra pats of butter or additional drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

—Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
—Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
—Place the salmon (make sure you’ve dried it with paper towels) on the prepared baking sheet.
—In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
—Brush the marinade on the salmon and save any excess you may have to serving! Be sure you’re not double dipping your brush or spoon in the marinade and on to the fish if you want to use it upon serving too! To avoid double dipping the brush from the marinade bowl to the fish, I suggest you spoon a few heaps of the marinade on to the salmon and THEN get your brush on!
—In the meantime, add the pistachios and pecans to the bowl of a food processor fit with a steal blade and pulse until chopped. No food processor or high powered blender, no problem (but I do feel for you) chop by hand.
—In a small bowl, mix the crushed nuts with the panko breadcrumb and adjust salt / pepper if your nuts are not salted!
—GENEROUSLY spoon the nut mixture on top of the marinaded salmon and lightly press the mixture into the salmon to be sure it’s sticking.
*Note: if you have leftover crumble, which I’m sure you will, this can be used to top a salad or sprinkled over roasted vegetables for added texture
—Dare to place a few pats of salted butter on top of the salmon; or drizzle with olive oil prior to baking.
—Transfer the prepared crusted salmon to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes until flaky and golden brown
—Serve with additional marinade and lemon wedges if you please.