8 ingredients that unexpectedly combine fantastically with salmon
A good portion of salmon is kind of like having the cream of the crop on your plate. We obviously know pasta and rice with salmon, but want to make things a little more exciting? Then try combining the fatty pink fish with one of the ingredients below. You wouldn’t expect it, but these 8 products pair incredibly well with salmon.
Bacon & salmon
There are more unusual combinations in which bacon plays a prominent role. Bacon and pineapple, for example, make a truly heavenly pair, as do bacon and chocolate. And the same goes for bacon and salmon. The umami of the salmon and the smokiness of the bacon work incredibly well together. It’s best to incorporate both ingredients into an omelet fried in a little garlic butter. Skeptical? Give it a try!
Pickles & salmon
Pickles: you hate it or you love it. They’re standard on just about every McDonald’s burger, but at the same time they’re also the ingredient most often left out—at the request of pickle haters. Still, it’s worth trying them with salmon. Especially if you turn them into a sort of relish. Do this by mixing them with onion, salt, sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds and celery seeds. Who knows, this might be the trick if you normally (also) shudder at the thought of pickles.
Milk & salmon
Fish and milk? Huh? Yes, I didn’t know either, but apparently milk is a magical ingredient if you want to take your piece of salmon to the next level. The idea is to soak your salmon in milk for about 20 minutes before frying it. This not only makes the salmon more tender; it also removes the fishy smell. Definitely worth trying.
Pistachio & salmon
Pistachios are my favorite nuts and a wonderful addition to salmon. How exactly? By finely chopping the nuts and turning them into a crust for the salmon. Mix the chopped pistachios with honey, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and rosemary. The honey creates a sort of glaze that helps the crust stick to the salmon. I seriously think this is going to be the centerpiece of my Christmas dinner this year.
Peanut butter & salmon
Peanut butter may be the very last ingredient you’d expect to pair with salmon. But you shouldn’t take it literally and think that you have to spread a layer of peanut butter over your salmon. No, you should actually turn it into a delicious peanut sauce. Thai-style, with soy sauce, lime juice, honey and chili flakes mixed in. Serve with rice and you’ll have a wonderfully delicious meal in front of you. Also a great way to use up that last bit of peanut butter, by the way.
Yogurt & salmon
In Western cuisine, we don’t use yogurt all that often as a standard ingredient in our dishes. Yet in the Middle East, it turns so many dishes into a success. Such a shame! Salmon combined with a yogurt sauce made with lime zest and chopped pistachios (there they are again) is unbelievably delicious. Fry the salmon with some bay leaves, fennel and lemon, and the whole table will be feasting. So you see, yogurt doesn’t have to shine only in your breakfast bowl with muesli. Want to cook more with yogurt? Check out these handy tips before you get started.
Pineapple & salmon
Well, if pineapple works on pizza, then it can work with something more decadent like salmon too. Right? The best way to combine pineapple and salmon is to incorporate them into a fish taco. Make a salsa with the pineapple, red onions, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and salt. Serve with an ice-cold Desperados or Corona and your Mexican evening can begin.
Orange juice & salmon
Orange juice is my holy grail when I have a hangover. Then it’s the only thing I want, no matter how sour the juice is. Maybe precisely because it’s sour? I have no idea. In any case, orange juice also apparently happens to be a holy grail when it comes to salmon. The ultimate tip for this comes from Canadian chef James Barber. He says we should first add a knob of butter to our seared salmon, then drop a spoonful of (frozen) orange juice concentrate on top. Well, if a chef says so, we’ll do it, right?
Also read:
- This is how you defrost salmon
- 3 common mistakes when preparing salmon
- Farmed salmon vs. wild salmon: what are the (other) differences?
Source: TheKitchn
