Salmone Alla Mostarda Recipe

Prepare salmon

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Check for pin bones and remove with tweezers if present. Lightly score the skin in one or two places to prevent curling.

Make marinade

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, wholegrain/mostarda-style mustard with candied fruit, lemon juice, minced garlic, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth and slightly emulsified.

Marinate

Place fillets in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour half of the mustard marinade over them, turning to coat both sides. Reserve the other half for basting and the pan sauce. Marinate 15–30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 1 hour in the refrigerator). Do not marinate longer than 1 hour to avoid texture changes from the acid.

Preheat pan

Heat a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add a thin film (about 1 tbs) of olive oil and swirl to coat.

Sear salmon

Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Press lightly with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down 4–5 minutes without moving, until the skin is crisp and the fillet is cooked about two-thirds of the way up the sides.

Finish cooking

Flip the fillets carefully and cook flesh-side down 1–2 minutes until the salmon reaches desired doneness (internal temperature 125–130°F / 52–54°C for medium-rare to medium). During the last 30–45 seconds, spoon some reserved marinade over the tops to glaze and warm the mostarda fruit bits.

Deglaze pan

Remove the cooked salmon to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil. With the skillet still over medium heat, add the white wine (or chicken stock) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid reduce about 30–60 seconds.

Finish sauce

Reduce heat to low and whisk in the reserved marinade and the butter, stirring until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened (about 1 minute). Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed.

Plate and garnish

Spoon the pan sauce and any warmed candied-fruit bits over each salmon fillet. Sprinkle chopped parsley and lemon zest over the top. Serve with optional extra mostarda on the side for guests to add more sweet-spicy fruit mustard.

Serving suggestion

Serve immediately with roasted or steamed vegetables, sautéed greens, or buttery new potatoes to complement the sweet-savory mostarda glaze.