This fresh and tangy cucumber mango salsa is one of my favorite toppings for simple pan-seared salmon. It's a fast and easy condiment that is packed with colorful, seasonal vegetables. This is weeknight whole foods cooking at it's simplest and most delicious.
½red bell pepperhalved, seeds removed, then diced to ½"
½english cucumberhalved, seeds removed, then diced to ½"
¼red oniondiced to ½"
½c.italian parsleychopped
1limezested and juiced
1tablespoonunfiltered extra virgin olive oil
1teaspoonsea salt
1teaspooncracked black pepper
Instructions
Pull the salmon out of the fridge and set on the counter to come to room temperature while you prepare the cucumber mango salsa.
In a large bowl, combine the diced mango, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and parsley. Add the juice and zest of a lime, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon until incorporated and set aside.
Using a sharp knife, slice the salmon fillet into 4 equal portions. Pat each salmon fillet dry with paper towels, then season the flesh with salt and pepper.
Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add about a tablespoon of avocado oil. Heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the fillets to the pan skin-side down and then do not touch them. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-7 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets), or until the flesh is mostly light pink instead of translucent.
With a fish spatula, gently flip each fillet and cook for an additional 30 seconds to one minute. (If the skin sticks or begins to tear when you attempt to flip, it probably needs another minute or two of cooking.)
Remove the fillets from the pan and transfer to plates. Allow to rest for a few minutes, then top with ¼ of the mango salsa and serve immediately.