Warm cucumbers are surprisingly delicious. When quickly sautéed, they take on a more vegetal quality, while retaining their telltale crispiness. Served alongside a tangy crème fraîche, spicy horseradish, and crunchy toasted hemp seed sauce over rich salmon makes for a very elegant, dinner-partyworthy meal.
Ingredients
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, squeezed dry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ English cucumber, halved and sliced
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 4 ounce skinless salmon fillets
- Chopped fresh chives, for serving
How to Make It
- Combine the crème fraîche and horseradish in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat for 10 seconds. Add the cucumber and hemp seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cucumber and hemp seeds are goldenbrown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Cook, presentation-side down, until golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until there is just the slightest bit of pink in the middle, about 1 minute.
- Serve the fish topped with the spicy crème fraîche, sautéed cucumbers, and chives.