Grilled King Salmon with Bacon, Fava Beans, and Nettle Pesto
Be sure to wear gloves when handling the nettles prior to cooking; their sting is eliminated after cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 pound nettles
- 3 cloves garlic
- Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 6 anchovy fillets
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound fava beans in the pod, shucked
- 4 pieces king salmon fillet (about 5 oz. each), skin on, scales removed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 ounces slab bacon, finely diced
- 1 bunch ramps (or spring onions), root trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces morel mushrooms, stemmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 pound English peas in the pod, shucked
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut on the bias
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup fish stock or chicken stock
Directions
- Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. While the water heats, wearing gloves, pluck the nettle leaves from the stems, discarding the stems. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Add the nettles to the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Lift the nettles out with a slotted spoon or strainer and add them to the ice water; reserve the water in the pan and set it aside.
- When the nettles are fully cooled, lift them from the ice water (reserving the water) and squeeze out excess water, then coarsely chop them. Put the nettles in a blender with the garlic cloves, lemon zest, anchovies, capers, and chile flakes, then add 1 cup of the sunflower oil and the olive oil. Purée to make a smooth paste, scoop the pesto into a bowl, and set aside.
- Return the pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fava beans and cook for 10 seconds. Lift the fava beans out with a slotted spoon or strainer and add them to the ice water. When the beans are fully cooled, peel away and discard the outer skin.
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high and gently rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil over the salmon portions and season with salt.
- While the grill is heating, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ramps and morels and cook for 1 minute longer, then add the white wine. After 30 seconds add the peas, fava beans, asparagus, and fish stock and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- When the grill is hot, add the salmon flesh side down and cook until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the salmon and continue cooking about 2 minutes longer for medium rare, or longer for more well done fish.
- Taste the vegetables for seasoning, adding salt if needed. Spoon the vegetables onto 4 plates or large shallow bowls. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the nettle pesto onto one side of the plates, and set the salmon on the vegetables. Add a drizzle of olive oil, if you like.

