Broiled Salmon With Dilly Beans Recipe

The intense power of the broiler rapidly cooks rich salmon in a dill-and-mayo glaze, with a fresher version of pickled dilly beans on the side.

By
Michael Harlan Turkell
Michael Harlan Turkell: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Michael Harlan Turkell

Michael Harlan Turkell is a once-aspiring chef and now an award-winning food pho­tographer and writer. He has photographed many prominent chefs’ cookbooks, co-authored a few, and even wrote one of his own: ACID TRIP: Travels in the Word of Vinegar (2017).

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Updated November 12, 2019
20180726-MHT-broiling-dilly-salmon-two-versions-overhead-vicky-wasik-9-
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Blistering the green beans and garlic first softens them and releases flavor, allowing them to infuse (and be infused by) the pickling liquid more quickly after.
  • Mayonnaise insulates the salmon, allowing it to cook while keeping it tender and juicy.

Pickled green beans, often called "dilly beans," serve as the inspiration for this quick and easy one-pan dinner of broiled salmon in a dill-infused mayonnaise glaze. As the salmon cooks under the broiler, fresh green beans rapidly pickle in a mixture of vinegar with yet more fresh dill, garlic, and cayenne pepper, serving as a tangy and bright counterpoint to the rich fish.

Recipe Details

Broiled Salmon With Dilly Beans Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 20 hrs
Serves 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450g) fresh green beans, stems trimmed
  • 1 medium clove garlic, split lengthwise, green germ removed if it's there
  • Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, divided
  • 1 pound (450g) skinless center-cut salmon fillets, divided into 2 or 4 portions
  • 3/4 cup (175ml) white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) water
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat broiler and set top rack 4 to 6 inches from broiler element. Add green beans and garlic to a large stainless steel skillet and season with salt. Broil green beans and garlic until green beans become blistered with small brown spots, 5 to 7 minutes. (As with all broiling recipes and broiling steps in this recipe, watch carefully, as broilers vary greatly in their heat output.)

  2. Meanwhile, season salmon fillets all over with salt. Stir together mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon dill and spread dill mayo evenly on top of salmon fillets.

  3. Add vinegar, water, and cayenne to the beans and toss to mix well. Set salmon, mayonnaise side up, on top of green beans; make sure it’s not touching the bottom of the pan, nor fully submerged in the liquid. Broil until mayonnaise is beginning to brown and salmon registers 110°F (43°C) in the very center for rare, 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium, 5 to 7 minutes.

  4. To serve, remove salmon with a spatula and set aside briefly. Pour green beans and liquid into a shallow bowl. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup dill, then place salmon back on top of green beans, mayonnaise side up. Serve.

Special equipment

Large stainless steel skillet, instant-read thermometer

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