Hazelnut-Crusted Salmon

the Pacific Northwest on a plate: a fillet of wild salmon under a fragrant crust of toasted Oregon hazelnuts and herbs, roasted until the crust is golden and the fish just set

Origin: United States

From the journey of Hazelnut.

Oregon grows very nearly the whole of the United States hazelnut crop, and the nut is the official state nut, so it is only natural that the region's cooks should have married it to the other great food of the Pacific Northwest: the wild salmon of the Columbia and the coastal rivers. Hazelnut-crusted salmon has become a signature dish of the Oregon table and of Pacific Northwest cuisine, served in the farm-to-table restaurants of Portland and the Willamette Valley and made in home kitchens across the region. It is a simple idea done well: a fillet of rich, oily salmon is spread with a little mustard to hold the crust, then pressed with a fragrant mixture of toasted, chopped Oregon hazelnuts, breadcrumbs, and herbs, and roasted until the nut crust is deep golden and crunchy and the fish beneath is just set and still moist. The toasted hazelnut, sweet and buttery, is a natural partner to the fatty richness of the salmon, and the dish brings together the valley's orchard and the region's rivers in a single plate. It is at once rustic and elegant, and it is one of the clearest expressions of the hazelnut in the savoury cooking of its American home.

Ingredients

Salmon

4 fillets salmon, skin on, about 150 g each

Crust

80 g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely chopped
40 g panko or fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (and dill or thyme)
30 g unsalted butter, melted

Assembly

2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 whole lemon (zest for the crust, wedges to serve)
1 to taste salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a baking tray. Mix the chopped toasted hazelnuts, breadcrumbs, herbs, lemon zest, and melted butter with a pinch of salt and pepper to a coarse, moist crumb.
Pat the salmon fillets dry and set them skin-side down on the tray. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the mustard with the honey and brush it over the top of each fillet.
Press the hazelnut crumb firmly and evenly onto the mustard-coated tops of the fillets, pressing it down so it sticks in a thick layer.
Roast for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the crust is deep golden and crunchy and the salmon is just cooked through but still moist in the centre.
Serve at once, with lemon wedges to squeeze over, and a green vegetable or a simple salad alongside.

Notes

Wild Pacific salmon (king, coho, or sockeye) is the authentic choice and the region's pride, but any good salmon fillet works, as does trout. The crust can be varied with the herbs of the season, or given a little heat with a pinch of chilli. For a party, a whole side of salmon can be crusted and roasted the same way, then cut into portions at the table. Toasted hazelnut and salmon is the classic Oregon pairing, but the crust is equally good on chicken or on a firm white fish.

The Gastrographer

Name: Hazelnut-Crusted Salmon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 4 fillets salmon, skin on, about 150 g each; 80 g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely chopped; 40 g panko or fresh breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (and dill or thyme); 30 g unsalted butter, melted; 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup; 1 whole lemon (zest for the crust, wedges to serve); 1 to taste salt and black pepper

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control