Salmon with Fresh Black Eyed Peas

I love the summer – not just because of the weather, the BBQ’s, the vacations, but because we get a bounty of fresh food to enjoy. We are lucky enough to have a great garden at the house and one of the ingredients we grow are fresh black eyed peas. When was the last time you could get your hands on those, huh? They are delicious! You can eat them raw, blanched, or simply sautéed and they are fantastic. Today I’ve paired them with some wild coho salmon. If you can’t find fresh black eyed peas, then feel free to use canned (please wash them) or dried (go ahead and cook them before starting the recipe).

Here are some great pictures of the black eyed peas in our garden.

*This is what the beans look like off the plant.

*In the pods. I flipped one over so you could see the “black eye”

*All the fresh peas in my hand!

Before we get carried away with the pictures, here’s the recipe!

Pan Seared Salmon with Fresh Black Eyed Pea and Chorizo Relish (serves 4)

(recipe courtesy of Vivek Surti)

1 lb wild coho salmon

2 T butter

1/2 lemon, sliced

1 cup of fresh black eyed peas (or cooked/drained black eyed peas)

1 inch piece of chorizo, diced

1 red jalapeño chile, minched

1/4 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

fresh parsley

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Portion the fish into 4, 1/4 lb pieces. Season them all with salt and pepper. Get a pan and set it over high heat. Add 1 T of the butter. Sear the salmon on one side for about two minutes until it develops a nice crust. Flip the salmon over and add the remaining 1 T of butter and the lemon slices. Once the fat melts, take your spoon and start basting the top of the salmon for another 3-4 minutes. Coho salmon is not all that thick, so it cooks pretty quickly. A thicker cut, may require longer cooking. Once the salmon is done, let it rest while you prepare the relish.

Heat another pan over medium high heat and add some oil. First, add the chorizo and cook until the oil turns a beautiful brick red color. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté until translucent. Add the black eyed peas and season with salt and pepper. Let cook for about 3-4 minutes. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top and sprinkle in some fresh parsley.

To plate the dish, put a little bit of the relish on the plate. Add the salmon on top. Garnish with a parsley sprig and a piece of lemon that has caramelized from your butter baste.

The sauce around the plate is a chive oil.

Hope you all are enjoying the last bits of summer produce. I’m getting in as much as I can!

Cheers,

Vivek