Wild salmon is brushed with agave and paired with a citrus herb salad. It’s a light and refreshing dinner option!

Salmon with Orange Watercress Salad

Isn’t this dish so gorgeous?  Let me tell you, it tastes just as good as it looks, and the flavors here just make me go wild.  You get that slightly sweet crust on the salmon from the agave, then the bright citrus flavors and the freshness of the mint, and the brininess from the capers…it’s incredible, refreshing, and zesty.

Adding Agave Nectar to Salmon Filet

For this dish I highly recommend you go with a wild salmon fillet.  I know it costs more, but I think it’s worth it (if you’re already spending $8 on the farmed salmon, why not spend $4 more for the wild)?

Agave Brushed Salmon with Orange Watercress Salad

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
 Wild salmon is brushed with agave and paired with a citrus herb salad. It's a light and refreshing dinner option!
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Ingredients

  • 2 6- oz wild salmon fillets
  • 2 tbsp agave nectar
  • 1 navel orange
  • 2 tsp capers finely chopped
  • 1 scallion thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp packed fresh mint chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • leftover orange juice from the segmented orange 1 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup packed watercress

Instructions 

  • Start by segmenting the orange, and place the orange segments into a bowl along with the chopped capers, scallion, mint, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, olive oil, and watercress. Season with salt and pepper, and stir it all together. That's it.
  • Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave, and season generously with salt and pepper.

You have a couple options for cooking the salmon:

  • 1. Grill it. The nice thing about grilling the salmon is it turns the agave into a delicately sweet crust on the salmon, as well as giving it a smoky flavor.
  • 2. Broil it, but you must watch it very carefully. I once was broiling the salmon, and the agave actually caught on fire (my first kitchen fire. Fortunately it burned out very quickly).
  • 3. Pan sear it.
  • However you cook it, you want the agave to caramelize a bit on the salmon, because it not only gives it fantastic flavor, but a gorgeous color. Salmon cooking times will vary with fillet thickness, but usually it only takes around 3 minutes on each side. Top the salmon with the orange watercress salad, and spoon the juices around the salmon for some beautiful plating.

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 139mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 22g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas