Salmon with pancetta and parsley pesto

It might seem like an odd combination, but salmon and pancetta are magic together! For a delicious Sunday lunch, salmon and pancetta together are so substantial you won’t want to bother with a first course. 

Serve the salmon with pancetta accompanied by pan-fried sweet potatoes or cubed squash. You can lighten up the dish a bit by using courgettes, which go very well with both the salmon and the pancetta. You can also use salmon and pancetta to make finger food portions to be served at brunch for a sure hit! The idea here is to use a parsley pesto to contrast with the rich taste of the salmon and pancetta. The homemade salsa verde will add a gourmet touch to the dish. 

The Recipe:

First, make the salsa verde. Put the parsley in the blender together with two anchovies, the clove of garlic and the hard-boiled egg yolk. Also add bread crumbs soaked in vinegar and squeezed dry. To achieve the proper consistency, add a drizzle of oil and, to lighten it, a little water. Let the salsa verde rest in the refrigerator until serving time. 

Now prepare the salmon and pancetta. 

Remove the skin from 4 salmon fillets, then wrap each one in one or two slices of Negroni Pancetta. Heat a non-stick pan; cut a sheet of aluminium foil twice the size of the bottom of the pan and place it in the pan. Lay the four pancetta-wrapped fillets on the foil, then fold the foil over as if cooking in parchment; cover the pan and allow to cook on medium-low heat.

The salmon will be ready in 10-15 minutes without leaving any bad odours in the kitchen. The advantage of this technique, aside from its speed, is that you don’t need to turn the salmon; it will cook as if it were in the oven.

To check for doneness, just reopen the foil and check that the salmon is turning a delicate pink both externally and internally, in the thickest part of the fillet.

When the salmon is done, remove it from the foil and dress each fillet with a little salsa verde. Serve with a slice of lemon if you like.