Faroe Islands Salmon Recipe

Bring salmon to room temperature

Remove salmon from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking and pat dry with paper towels. This helps even cooking.

Season

Brush both sides of each fillet with 2 tbs olive oil, then season skin and flesh with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Rub the oil and seasonings in gently.

Pan-sear

Heat a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot (about 2 minutes). Place salmon fillets skin-side down, pressing lightly so skin contacts the pan. Cook skin-side down without moving for 4–5 minutes until skin is crisp and edges are opaque.

Finish in pan

Flip fillets carefully and cook flesh-side for 1.5–2 minutes for medium doneness (internal temp 120–125°F / 49–52°C) or longer for preferred doneness. Remove from pan and rest for 3 minutes. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fillets before serving.

Prepare vegetables: core and dice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces to make ~2 cups. Peel (optional) and halve lengthwise the cucumber, scoop seeds if watery, then slice into 1/4-inch half-moons to yield about 1.5 cups. Thinly slice radishes into rounds.

Combine and dress: in a medium bowl, gently toss tomatoes, cucumber and radishes with 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tsp red wine vinegar. Add 2 tbs chopped fresh mint leaves. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning or acidity as needed.

Let sit briefly: allow the salad to rest at room temperature for 5–10 minutes so flavors meld before plating.

Make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp finely chopped mint, 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest, 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth and slightly loose. If too thick, thin with up to 1 tbs cold water.

Chill briefly: refrigerate the sauce for 5–10 minutes while you finish the salmon to let flavors mellow (optional).

Plate: spoon about 2 tbs of Greek yogurt sauce onto each plate and spread slightly. Place a warm salmon fillet on top or beside the sauce.

Add salad and garnish: mound 3/4 cup of the tomato & cucumber salad next to the salmon. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the salmon, scatter extra mint leaves and radish slices for color. Serve with a lemon wedge on each plate.

Serve immediately: ensure salmon is warm and sauce/salad are fresh. Recommend serving 1 fillet per person with the salad and sauce.