Coriander often plays second fiddle in recipes, adding a bright note to complement other spices like cumin or caraway. But in this easy orange-salmon dinner, the spice gets to shine center stage, with orange and citrus serving to heighten its already citrusy flavor.
If you have whole coriander seeds, you’ll use them ground to two different consistencies in this recipe: roughly crushed to create a crust for the salmon, and ground closer to a powder to flavor a velvety pan sauce. If you only have pre-ground coriander, you can use it in both places; the fine grind will make an even smoother sauce, but you’ll miss out on some texture on the fish. If you have both varieties, feel free to split the difference, using crushed on the salmon and ground in the sauce for best results.
What you’ll need
Red River Coriander
$9 At Burlap and Barrel
Mortar and Pestle
$30 At Amazon
Large Skillet
$90 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Coarsely crush 3 Tbsp. coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle or very coarsely grind in a spice mill; transfer to a plate. Finely crush (or grind) remaining 3 Tbsp. coriander seeds; transfer to a small bowl and set aside. (Alternatively, you can use 2 Tbsp. ground coriander.)
Step 2
Thinly slice 1 orange half into rounds; remove seeds. Squeeze juice from other 1 orange half into a measuring glass until you have ¼ cup. Set aside separately.
Step 3
Pat four 4–6-oz. skinless salmon fillets dry and season with kosher salt on both sides. Working one at a time, press fillets into coarsely crushed coriander to coat on 1 side. Transfer, coriander side up, to a large plate.
Step 4
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Arrange salmon, coriander side down, in pan and cook until golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook until flesh is just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
Step 5
Add 2 medium shallots, halved through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise, to same skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add reserved finely crushed coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup fresh lemon juice and reserved orange juice, then add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, reserved orange slices, and ⅓ cup water. Cook, stirring often, until sauce is slightly thickened and orange slices are tender, about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Spoon sauce and orange slices over salmon; top with cilantro leaves with tender stems.
Recipe notes
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