Roast Salmon Fillet with Citrus Relish

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Citrus-Olive Relish — Photo:
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

55 mins

Yield:

4 servings

With its bright, briny citrus-olive relish, which highlights the fermented depth and supple texture of preserved lemons, this easy dish of silky, slow-cooked roast salmon fillets is downright dinner party-worthy. The low roasting temperature ensures juicy, perfectly cooked salmon every time.

This recipe comes from The Global Pantry Cookbook by Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray.

Frequently asked questions

What are preserved lemons?

Preserved lemons are salty, fermented lemons that are used in Moroccan cooking and in many North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. Both the peel and the flesh are edible and can be used in all kinds of dishes. Preserved lemons are worth making yourself, though jars can also be found in fancy foods stores and of course in Middle Eastern and North African food shops.

What should I serve with this dish?

Try serving each roast salmon fillet over a bed of couscous or your favorite grain to soak up all the juices from the relish.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Choose salmon fillets that are even in size and thickness for the most even cooking — ask your fishmonger for center-cut fillets if available. Allowing the salmon to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting will help it cook more evenly.

This roast salmon fillet recipe was an immediate hit with our testers. It yielded perfectly cooked salmon, soft and moist and fall-apart tender with a bright and punchy citrus relish. “I usually imagine a relish as something that’s more finely chopped,” one tester observed, “but I really liked the chunkiness of this relish that allows you to appreciate the flavors and textures of all the elements: juicy oranges, meaty olives, and lightly crunchy onion. The preserved lemon adds a ton of depth and slightly funky, salty, yet bright flavor.”

Make ahead

While this recipe is best prepared fresh, the oranges can be segmented, and the segments can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Toss the orange segments with the remaining relish ingredients while the salmon is roasting.

Suggested pairing

We like a lemon-accented Sonoma County Chardonnay, such as Benovia Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

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Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 medium navel oranges
1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, torn
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Directions

Arrange salmon fillets in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Stir together 3/4 teaspoon salt, coriander, and pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over salmon. Let salmon stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 250°F.
Meanwhile, cut off top and bottom of each orange. Standing orange upright on a cutting board, cut along sides of orange to remove peel and pith; turn orange over, and remove any remaining bits of peel and pith. Holding 1 orange over a medium bowl, cut between membranes to separate segments; place segments in bowl. Repeat process with remaining orange. Stir olives, parsley, onion, preserved lemon, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt into orange segments in bowl. Set relish aside; set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil evenly over salmon. Roast salmon in preheated oven until salmon reaches desired degree of doneness, 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare. (Test using a fork to see if it’s starting to flake.) Transfer salmon to a platter, and spoon relish over top. Serve hot.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, December 2023 / January 2024