Baked Salmon With Harissa and Cherry Tomatoes

Baked Salmon With Harissa and Cherry Tomatoes

NY Times

This easy salmon tray bake packs a real punch thanks to the flavorful marinade it cooks in. The soy sauce is a bit of a non-Middle Eastern wild card, but contributes a welcome umami flavor. Tunisian harissa adds a nice subtle spice to this dish, but you can also swap it out for biber salçasi, a Turkish red pepper paste that you can find in most Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Like harissa, biber salçasi comes in both mild and hot varieties, so pick whichever one suits you. Serve the salmon with some steamed rice and lightly dressed greens if you like.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Marinade

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 to 3 teaspoons harissa, preferably Tunisian (depending on heat preference)

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¾ teaspoon sweet paprika

Fine sea salt and black pepper

For the Salmon

4 (6-ounce) center-cut skinless salmon fillets (about 1½ pounds total)

8 ounces ripe cherry tomatoes, at room temperature

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

Fine sea salt and black pepper

Make the marinade: Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, lightly crush the cumin and coriander seeds, then transfer to a wide shallow bowl or baking dish. Stir in the remaining marinade ingredients, along with ¾ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper.

Add the salmon fillets to the marinade, spooning it over to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerated for up to 4 hours if getting ahead.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the tomatoes and shallots with the olive oil and a small pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Arrange the salmon fillets evenly on top and pour the marinade directly over the fillets.

Bake until the salmon flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork and the tomatoes have softened, about 22 minutes. Sprinkle the extra cilantro on top and serve directly from the baking dish.

TIP:

Let the salmon cook for 22 minutes at 400? I suggest letting the tomatoes cook first for a short while and then add everything else and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes.

Just a quick note that while harissa used to be a little difficult to find without a middle Eastern market, Trader Joe's now has a good version that works well with this recipe. It's different profile from Mexican salsa for sure.

Didn’t have harissa on hand so used Mexican hot sauce. Worked great. Also subbed red onions for shallot. Great recipe that’s a little like chili in that you can modify for what’s on hand.

To bake salmon fillets at 400°F (204°C), plan for 12-15 minutes for thin fillets (1/2 -1") and 15-20 minutes for thicker fillets (>1"). The exact time depends on the thickness and can be determined by checking for doneness with a fork. The salmon should flake easily and be opaque when cooked.