This coconut cashew crusted salmon is served with a tropical salsa that will transport you to a warm beach without leaving your kitchen.
It’s December and there is now half a pineapple sitting in my fridge.
I’m only off by a season or two.
I was just getting really sick of my normal salmon routine (a mustard, lemon & rosemary glaze in case you were wondering) and after ordering up my usual 3/4 of a lb. of the fish, I walked around the produce section trying to come up with a different idea.
I guess my mind was on a beach somewhere in the tropics because what ended up in my little basket was a pineapple, a tomatillo, a kiwi, a yellow pepper and a lime. Barbara Kingsolver would be thoroughly disappointed in me considering the average miles traveled for that assortment of produce was probably somewhere around 2,000 but sometimes you just need to throw “rules” out the window and live a little. Because obviously salsa for your salmon is liv-ing it up! Ha.
I’m not sure which part was better, the coconut cashew crust or the “tropical” salsa but both were a welcomed change from the normal salmon nights in our house.
I kind of just wish I were eating it with the beach, ocean and palm trees outside instead of the frozen ground, bare trees and dead plants in my backyard.
Wishful thinking.
Coconut Cashew Crusted Salmon with Tropical Salsa
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound wild salmon
- 1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/8 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/8 cup unsalted cashews, finely chopped
- 1 kiwi, diced
- 1 tomatillo, diced
- 1/2 yellow pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup diced pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- juice of one lime
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment, aluminum foil or a silpat.
- Combine coconut, cashews and breadcrumbs in a dish and mix together.
- Season salmon with salt & pepper and spray with cooking spray.
- Coat salmon in coconut, cashew, breadcrumb mixture and lay on baking sheet. Spray again lightly with cooking spray before putting it in the oven.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked to your desired "doneness" (I prefer salmon more on the rare side and baked mine for 12 minutes)
- While salmon bakes, whisk together lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Add diced vegetables, fruit and cilantro and toss to combine. (This can be made ahead of time as the flavors get better as it sits)
- Top baked salmon with salsa.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have you read the book “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle?”
Do you try to buy foods when they’re in season?
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
That salsa was really good!
I usually only buy seasonal food, but not out of any kind of moral guilt, it’s because I’m cheap :).
That looks freaking delicious. Too bad Mike hates seafood.
I buy in season food to an extent. I know that tomatoes and strawberries are going to taste bad in the winter and apples bad in the spring/summer so I don’t buy them then but there are some things that probably are seasonal that I buy all year.
Great idea! I actually have some tilapia thawing as we speak, I bet this coconut crust would work with that as well – thanks for the idea :)
That does sound extra tropical. I bet the hubs would love it. I’m not a huge salmon person. Seriously, I prefer the stuff in the can. I know, I’m odd.
Three foods that I love but would never think to combine – beautiful photos!
I definitely buy seasonal food! It’s the only way to shop :)
I try to eat seasonally, but sometimes I just get a craving for something and so I pick it up anyway! My boyfriend has had the same tropical thoughts lately. He changed his alarm clock to a ringtone that sounds like kettle drum music from the Bahamas.
lovely salmon…and the salsa…yum, I could put that over just about anything and be happy!
woah-oh-oh…this is deeeeeelicious looking! i love love salmon and i could eat a whole salmon steak myself — did i just say that? i love the colors you have on this dish :) so preeettty!! let’s run away to the beach — STAT!