It’s a very small world.  When my high school buddy Tim (who you might know from his wonderfully acerbic/insightful tweets) came out of the distant past and suggested we catch up over coffee, little did I know wild salmon would be in our future.

Tim had joined the PR world, with Alaskan Seafood as one of his clients.  We immediately started brainstorming on what kind of video and recipe we could come up with featuring their amazing wild salmon.  A few weeks later, and bam! Pan Seared Salmon with Pistachio Pesto and Roasted Fennel.

This recipe is delicious for two reasons: first, it’s just delicious, so there’s that; second, it’s sustainable, wild, and healthy. Get ready for some info: Wild-caught Alaska salmon mature at a natural pace, and swim freely along Alaska’s 34,000-mile coastline.  The quality of flavor and fat is determined by where the fish swims, what it eats, and every other environmental factor it encounters.  Alaska’s icy, pure waters and the abundance of natural food give Alaska Salmon unparalleled flavor. Along with the delicious flavor, the wild salmon is completely sustainable, meaning, it’s managed responsibly so that the wild salmon population isn’t harmed or diminished, unlike practices at other conventional fisheries in the US.

Like I said, delicious and delicious.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 salmon filet, skin on and scaled

1 tablespoon pistachio pesto

1/2 fennel head

INGREDIENTS (FOR PESTO)

1/3 cup roasted unsalted pistachios

1/4 cup parmigiano

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups basil leaves

3 garlic cloves

DIRECTIONS

To make the pesto, combine the pistachios, parm, garlic and basil in a food processor and pulse until combined into a paste. Add a large pinch of salt and one of pepper, and drizzle in oil as it forms a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Thinly slice the fennel and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 20 minutes at 400 F, or until golden brown and crisp at the edges.

For the salmon, season both side of the filet with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat up a pan over a medium high flame and coat the pan with olive oil. Add the salmon, skin side down, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 3 minutes, until golden brown.

Sprinkle the filet with the fennel and drizzle with the pesto. Enjoy!