Grilled Salmon with Basil-Herb Vinaigrette and Lemon Orzo

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A trattoria-style plated salmon dinner you can pull off on a weeknight: skin-on fillets cooked on hot, well-oiled grates with a single confident flip, then spooned with a loose basil and parsley vinaigrette that lands somewhere between pesto and salsa verde. A lemony orzo with peas and Parmesan underneath turns it into the kind of $28 entree you'd order out.

Ingredients

• 4 fillets skin-on salmon fillets, 6 oz each, about 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grates
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp drained capers, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

• 1 1/2 cups dry orzo
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• to taste kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Pull the salmon out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Pat the fillets very dry on both sides with paper towels, especially the skin — surface moisture is the number one cause of sticking. Leave them uncovered on a plate at room temperature while you make the vinaigrette.
2. Make the vinaigrette: combine the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, capers, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar in a food processor. Pulse 8 to 10 times until roughly chopped, then, with the motor running, stream in the 1/2 cup olive oil until you have a loose, spoonable sauce — not a tight paste. Scrape into a bowl, stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes, and set aside at room temperature. (No processor? Chop everything finely by hand and whisk with the oil.)
3. Heat your grill: for gas, turn all burners to high, close the lid, and preheat 12 to 15 minutes until the grate reads 500°F. For charcoal, build a hot two-zone fire with the coals banked on one side. Scrape the grates aggressively with a wire brush, then fold a paper towel into a pad, dip it in oil with long tongs, and wipe the grates 3 or 4 times until they look glossy.
4. Cook the orzo while the grill heats. Boil the orzo in well-salted water according to the package, about 8 to 9 minutes, adding the frozen peas for the last 60 seconds. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
5. Return the drained orzo and peas to the warm pot off the heat. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, scallions, Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice, plus 3 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Stir until glossy and just loose. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and keep warm.
6. Just before grilling, rub the salmon all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Oil the grates one more time — the grill should be smoking lightly.
7. Lay the fillets skin-side down over direct heat, on a diagonal to the bars. Close the lid and do not touch them for 5 to 6 minutes. The skin will release on its own when it's crisp; if a fillet resists a gentle nudge with a thin metal spatula, give it another 30 to 45 seconds.
8. Flip once, sliding the spatula fully under the skin. Grill flesh-side down 2 to 4 minutes more, until the thickest part registers 125°F for medium (120°F if you like it rosier). Move fillets to the cooler side of the grill if flare-ups threaten the sauce-free crust. Transfer skin-side down to a plate and rest 3 minutes; carryover brings them to 130°F.
9. Plate it: spoon a bed of the lemon orzo slightly off-center on each warm plate, set a fillet on or beside it, and spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the basil-herb vinaigrette over the salmon so it pools onto the plate. Add a lemon wedge and serve immediately, with the extra vinaigrette at the table.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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