Salmon with Sunflower-Dill Pesto Sauce

Pair With Pinot Noir Rosé

Sunflower-Dill Pesto

1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 tablespoon fresh dill
1/4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Salmon

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 salmon fillets
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Sunflower seeds and dill for garnish

  1. Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.
  2. Place sunflower seeds, basil leaves, dill, olive oil, lemon juice, green onions and garlic in a small blender. Blend until everything is smooth and creamy. Pour the pesto into a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise. Season to taste with sea salt. If you’d like you can thin the pesto with a little water to make it more drizzle-able.
  3. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Season the skin of the salmon fillets with a pinch of salt and pepper and put them in the pan, skin side down. Let them sear for 3 minutes, or until the skin has begun to get crispy.
  4. Put the salmon in the oven and let it finish by slowly baking for about 5 more minutes. You want the salmon to reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees. It will flake easily and still look very moist when it is done.
  5. Serve the salmon with the pesto drizzled over the top. Sprinkle a few sunflower seeds and dill sprigs over the top.

Serve with roasted asparagus spears