- 1½ pounds fresh salmon fillet (whole or cut into pieces)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon (20g) honey
- ¼ cup finely chopped raw pecans
- ¼ cup seasoned Panko (gluten-free if needed)* (Have used fresh bread crumbs, see notes plus extra salt)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (may sub a teaspoon of dried or omit in a pinch)
- ⅛ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper
- For serving: lemon wedges
Helen’s Pecan Crunch Salmon
Yield: 4-6 servings
This recipe can easily be cut in half, although I do enjoy any leftovers for lunch or served on top of a big dinner salad.
Ingredients
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, melted butter, and honey. Set aside. (Helpful hint: if you have time to let the mixture cool for a little while, the butter will firm up slightly and make the mixture easier to spread over the salmon. But if you don’t and it drips down the sides, don’t worry.)
- In another bowl, mix together pecans, panko, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Place the salmon on a lightly greased baking sheet (and lightly season it with salt and pepper???). Spread the honey mustard mixture over the salmon, and then sprinkle the pecan mixture over the top.
- Bake salmon for 12 to 15 minutes (about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part), or until cooked to your preferred degree of doneness. Helpful hints: leaner wild salmon like sockeye tends to cook quicker than farmed salmon. It’s ok to cut inside and take a peek. I like the fish to be a hint undercooked in the center, as it will continue to cook for a few minutes after removing from the oven. To avoid dry salmon, I prefer an internal temp of 120℉ for wild salmon and 125℉ for farmed salmon.
- Garnish with a wedge of lemon for optional squeezing, and enjoy. Leftovers taste great; gently warm them in the microwave or oven to avoid overcooking and drying out.
Notes
*If you only have unseasoned panko (or breadcrumbs), you may absolutely use them. Simply add a little more salt to taste…I’d add ¼ teaspoon and then supplement with an extra sprinkle when serving, if needed.
One standard slice of bread (1 ounce) will yield approximately 1/2 cup of fresh bread crumbs. Loaf bread, English muffins, even pita bread or bagels may be used. Break the bread in pieces and pulse in a food processor, mini chopper, or even a coffee or spice grinder. For a low-tech method, rub stale or toasted bread against a grater. You will get best results if the bread is either stale or toasted. Extra may be frozen for future use.
If your pecan pieces are not finely chopped, pulse them in the processor or chopper as well. You want some texture (as opposed to sand or fine-crumb consistency) without big chunks. The pecans can also be minced by hand.