One of my favorite flavors is that of fennel pollen. A gorgeous yellow dried spice that is highly aromatic and is an intense version of fennel seeds. With its licorice-like, yet sweet flavor you normally see it paired with pork, sausages and even fennel itself, I decided to pair it with another one of my favorite flavors, salmon.
A dusting of fennel pollen is all you need, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. We decided to grill the salmon fillets, but pan-searing them or roasting them would work well, too. I decided to pair the fennel-dusted salmon with a creamy, Greek yogurt and avocado Green Goddess dressing. A puree of half of an avocado along with Greek yogurt, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic and herbs. To play off of the fennel pollen flavor on the fish, I used fresh tarragon, another anise-flavor, as my green herb.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Fennel-Dusted Salmon with Avocado-Green Goddess Dressing
Ingredients:
- 4 (6-7oz.) salmon fillets
- Salt and pepper
- Fennel pollen
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
- Olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs (I used fresh tarragon)
Directions:
- Season each salmon fillet with a pinch of salt, a grinding of pepper, and about ¼ teaspoon of fennel pollen. Grill the fish, skin-side down first, for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked the way you prefer.
- To make the dressing, place the avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste and fresh herbs in a food processor. Pulse until green and smooth; add in a couple tablespoons of olive oil to thin the mixture out, and pulse again. Season with salt and pepper to taste, serve chilled over the grilled fish.
Tagged: anchovy paste, anise, avocado, avocado-green goddess dressing, fennel, fennel pollen, fennel-dusted salmon, fish, garlic, Greek yogurt, green goddess dressing, lemon, salmon, tarragon
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