Roasted Salmon With Chile Minted Cucumbers Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 300 degrees. In an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the salmon, combine olive oil, red-pepper flakes, paprika, fennel seeds, coriander seeds and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and just simmering, about 5 minutes.
• Pat the salmon dry, then sprinkle with salt and place in the spiced oil flesh side up. Spoon some of the oil over the salmon, then bake, basting occasionally, until cooked through, 15 to 25 minutes. (You will know if the salmon is done when the fish flakes when cut into with a knife or fork or when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 120 degrees.)
• While the salmon roasts, peel the cucumber and cut into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with salt.
• Break the salmon into large pieces on a serving platter. (Alternatively, you can make the salmon in advance, and eat it at room temperature.) Scatter the cucumbers around the salmon, then top with feta and parsley. Drizzle chile oil over everything to taste. (You will have more than you need - dip bread into any remaining oil.)

Steps:

• Combine the cucumber, chile, and mint in a mixing bowl. Pour in the vinegar, sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together so the cucumbers are well coated in the vinegar, the cucumbers will soften and the flavors deepen as it sits. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season both sides of the salmon with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top of the salmon with the sesame seeds.
• Place a cast iron or regular ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Coat the pan with the oil and when it is nice and hot, lay the salmon in the pan, sesame seed-side down. Sear the salmon for 3 minutes, one side only.
• Remove it from the stovetop and place in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes until it's just cooked through. This results in a medium cooked filet. (Increase the oven time to increase doneness.) Serve the salmon on a pile of the chile minted cucumbers.

Steps:

• For the salad: Quarter the cucumber, lengthwise, and remove the seeds, but leave on the skin. Thinly slice the cucumbers and mix with the salt in a colander. Set in the sink for about 1 hour to drain. Meanwhile, place the yogurt in a coffee filter-lined strainer and set over a bowl to drain, about 1 hour.
• Rinse the cucumbers with cold, running water. Press down on the cucumbers to extract as much liquid as possible and pat dry. Toss the cucumbers with the drained yogurt, dill, sugar, orange zest, cayenne, and season with pepper, to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Cut the salmon lengthwise and then crosswise to make 4 equal squares of fish. Lightly sprinkle the salmon all over with a pinch of turmeric and rub in slightly to coat evenly. Season salmon with salt and pepper and place on a very lightly oiled oven-proof nonstick pan. Roast the salmon, turning the pieces carefully with a spatula after about 10 minutes, until just cooked through, about 20 minutes in all. (Slow-roasted salmon looks bright orange when done, and will be luscious in the center.) To serve, divide the cucumbers between 4 plates, top with the salmon and garnish with dill fronds.