From page 86, Tasting the Wine Country
Courtesy of Birchfield Manor Country Inn, Yakima, Washington
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
4 salmon fillets, pin bones removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cilantro sprigs for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a shallow bowl, stir the bread crumbs and sesame seeds together. Sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper and dredge in the bread crumb mixture to coat evenly.
In a large ovenproof frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the fillets, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, or until still slightly translucent in the center. Transfer the salmon to individual plates and top with a dollop of salsa. Garnish each with a cilantro sprig and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Apple-Mango Salsa
1 small mango, peeled and diced
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and grated
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely diced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until blended. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Dicing a mango: Hold the mango upright on a cutting board with a narrow side facing you. Using a large knife, cut the fruit in half, about 1/2 inch from the center, just around the seed. Repeat on the other side. Score the flesh of each half into squares and push each half inside-out so it looks like a hedgehog. Cut off each square.
Makes about 2 cups (8 ox/250 g)