Grilled Salmon Ciabatta Sandwiches
I just found the best thing since sliced bread! Well it actually is bread, but you have to slice it yourself. Do I sound like a crazy person yet? I'll clarify! My local grocery store started carrying frozen artisan take-and-bake breads. They're under-baked and basically finish the baking process in your oven whenever your carb craving strikes! In about 5-8 minutes I can have perfectly portioned, hot, fluffy, crusty, chewy, amazing baguettes, buns, loaves or focaccia without the weird additives or preservatives that shelf-stable breads tend to be loaded with. No longer do I have to shy away from buying over-sized packages of rolls or buns, because I can now stash away a 4pk of fancy schmantzy ciabatta rolls in my freezer and only bake what I need, when I need it, fast! It sounds dumb to be this excited about bread but it literally took my frequently-single-gal dining game to the next level. This isn't to say I can't make my own bread at home, but sometimes a short cut is cause for a happy dance.
Ahh... carbs.
I'm terribly sorry you had to bear with me rambling about bread for however many minutes it took you to read that. Food excites me. Ready for a really stinkin' good salmon sandwich? Let's do this!
Grilled Salmon Ciabatta Sandwiches with Arugula, Avocado, and Pesto for the salmon:
2 sandwich-sized salmon fillets or one large fillet, halved (skin on)
a drizzle of your favorite extra virgin olive oil
a hearty sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika
for the sandwich:
2 fresh ciabatta rolls
2-4 TBSP pesto (I used my asparagus-basil pesto)
2 TBSP fresh mayo or aioli
1 cup fresh baby arugula
1/2 large avocado, sliced lengthwise
6 slices tomato
recipe makes two summery sandwiches; adjusts easily to feed one or four!
instructions:
Grab some wild Alaskan salmon from your local seafoodery and fire up the grill! Heat your grill to about 375 degrees F and prep your salmon by drizzling each fillet with olive oil and seasoning, to taste, with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Secure your fish, skin-side down in a grill basket and grill for about 5 minutes. Flip the basket an grill skin-up for approx 8 minute until salmon is a bright pinkish-orange and completely opaque.
Perfectly grilled salmon is a thing of beauty!
No grill? No problem! You can bake your salmon in a foil pouch or try the sear-n-bake technique I use for my salmon tacos!
Whichever technique you use for the salmon, be sure to gently remove the skin after cooking. It should slide off easily when you insert a knife between the salmon and the skin. Just gently swipe through and you're good to go.
If you're using take-and-bake ciabatta like I am, pop two in the oven for five minutes until golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Yum! Using bakery fresh rolls instead? Lightly toast them up on your grill with a little butter or oil if you'd like or enjoy them as is!
Slather one side of the ciabatta with homemade or storebought mayo or aioli and spread your favorite pesto for the other. Add a small mountain of fresh arugula and your hot and ready salmon.
so... how was it!?
Face-rocking! I forgot to breathe while eating it... seriously! Now I love a good salmon cake or crab cake sandwich, but this? This takes the cake. The white chocolate frosting-covered funfetti cake! Or whatever. It's quick, easy, and the perfect summer salmon sammie. Try saying that 5 times fast. I dare you.
Crap. Now I want dessert.
still hungry?
Here are a few more yummy salmon recipes from the archives:
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