Chef notes
I initially created this recipe in Nantucket for my clients for Taco Tuesday, and it turned out to be a favorite. This recipe is simple and fresh because we use organic salmon as the choice of meat paired with mango and spicy Scotch bonnet salsa for a West African twist. With this dish, I wanted to showcase and share my identity through the spices and seasonings used, which I do as chef at Foragers Table in New York City.
Technique tip: Make sure the pan is hot before you place the fish onto the pan then cook on low heat.
Swap option: Use pre-packaged flour tortillas.
Special equipment: Tortilla press optional.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1¼ cups red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 1 small ripe mango, peeled and diced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons self-rising flour
- 4 tablespoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2½ pounds organic salmon fillets, skin on, scaled and pin bones removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 small ripe avocado, diced
- 1/2 pound ripe mixed-color cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed
Preparation
For the pickled red onions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool it on ice, then store in liquid.
For the spicy mango salsa:
In a bowl, mix the mango, Scotch bonnet, spring onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice and extra virgin olive oil, and store it in the refrigerator.
For the tortillas:
1.Mix the self-rising flour with the cold water, sea salt and olive oil.
2.Mix together with a fork, knead, then divide into 4 and roll out thinly on a flour-dusted surface.
3.To cook, heat in a dry nonstick pan for 1 minute on each side, until lightly golden.
For the crispy salmon:
Carefully cut the skin off the salmon and place it in a nonstick frying pan on a medium-high heat to crisp up on both sides.
Pat kosher salt the salmon fillets, then fry for 6 minutes, turning to get them golden and crispy on one side, then flip to cook the other side until golden and crispy, another 6 minutes. Once the skin is crispy, move it to sit on top of the salmon.
To serve:
Sprinkle the mango salsa and avocado over the tortillas, then flake over the salmon and crack over the skin.
Toss the tomatoes and the juice of 1 lime in the residual heat of the pan for 30 seconds, then spoon over the tortillas. Garnish with a few pickled red onions and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle with the pink peppercorn and serve with lime wedges, for squeezing over.
