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Salmon on Parmesan Polenta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce (and Green Beans)

While there are a few parts to this dish, none are difficult and none take terribly long. This order works well: Cook the green beans, drain, and set aside. Link to instructions/recipe on this blog post. Cook the polenta, turn off the heat, cover, and set aside. Make the cherry tomato sauce, cover, and set aside. Grill or pan sear the salmon, remove to a platter, and while it rests, heat the beans with a tablespoon butter (season with salt and pepper), and warm the tomato sauce and the polenta—adding a little milk to the polenta to make it creamy again. You’re then ready to plate and serve the meal hot. Inspired by Martha Rose Shulman’s NYT recipe, Lemon and Garlic Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes.
4 servings

Ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ¼ cup each dry white wine and chicken broth, can sub water for wine or use all broth
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 4 center cut salmon fillets with skin, about 4-ounces each
  • Parmesan polenta--separate recipe included on blog or use your own recipe
  • 1- pound cooked haricots verts or green beans, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, for garnish
  • ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish

Instructions

PREP: Preheat the oven to 150F. Place 4 large shallow serving bowls or plates in to warm while you cook the meal.

    Make the salmon marinade:

    • In a small bowl or cup, stir together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Set aside.

    Make the tomato sauce:

    • Add the butter, wine, and broth to a 10-inch skillet and warm over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring regularly until they begin to shrivel. Sprinkle with the pinch of sugar, ¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook another 5 minutes or so, until tomatoes have collapsed but are still intact. You should have cooked tomatoes in just a small amount of sauce. Turn the heat off and carefully remove the skins from the tomatoes, using a table fork and a small sharp knife, if desired. Cover and set aside.

    Cook the salmon on the stovetop (or grill outdoors/link below on blog)

    • Pour the reserved marinade into the bottom of a 2 or 3-quart rectangular casserole. Add the salmon fillets and let rest for 5 minutes, turning a time or two.
    • Meanwhile, heat a stovetop grill pan (or large heavy skillet) over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. To one side of the pan, drizzle the olive oil lightly in a zig zag pattern in the general shape of one salmon fillet (about a tablespoon for each fillet); repeat for the other three, leaving a little space between them. Heat another minute.
    • Meanwhile, pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon lightly with salt and pepper.
    • Lay the fillets skin side down on the grill pan, brush the tops of each with a little marinade, and cook without moving for 4 minutes. Carefully turn each fillet over using tongs and cook another 3 minutes or 4 minutes depending on the weight of the fish. The salmon should be just firm but still moist at the center. (FDA indicates 145F on an instant read thermometer for fish. I like medium to medium-rare salmon, so I’d take them off at 125F and let the temperature rise a little as they rest.) Remove the salmon to a platter and cover loosely. Let rest 5-10 minutes.

    Plate the meal:

    • Ladle about ¾-cup warm polenta into the bottom of each warmed bowl or plate, spreading it out so that it is an inch or so larger than each salmon fillet. With tongs, place a salmon fillet in the middle of the polenta. Top with about ½ cup tomato sauce. Add a few green beans to the sides of each fillet. Garnish each serving with a little minced fresh parsley and sprinkle with about a tablespoon of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve hot or warm.
      Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge separately for 2-3 days.