Pomegranate Salmon

These notes are here to help you make this Pomegranate Salmon recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients; for a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.

Salmon: I prefer skinless salmon fillets for this recipe, but feel free to use whatever salmon you prefer. The recipe cooks the salmon for around 6 minutes, giving you a soft, just-cooked interior. If you prefer a firmer cook on your fish, cook it for 4 minutes on each side.
Apple cider vinegar: This is used to macerate the onions and add a sour element to the salsa. Soaking the chopped onion in vinegar removes that raw flavor from the onion. You can use any vinegar you have. White wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar work well.
Pomegranate: The recipe tells you how to remove the arils from a pomegranate, but you can buy the loose arils at larger grocery stores, so feel free to use those instead of a whole pomegranate. You'll need around 2 cups of pomegranate arils.
Tomatoes: Use the ripest tomatoes you can so they add sweetness to the salsa. We discard the seeds and use the flesh. 
Honey: This adds extra sweetness to the salsa, but how much you need depends on the tomatoes and pomegranate you use. Taste the salsa and add honey to your own preference. You could also use maple syrup to sweeten the salsa.

We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you, have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!

• Try and chop all of the vegetables into small dice. They want to be the same size or smaller than the pomegranate arils. This makes the salsa much easier to eat and helps with the look of the dish.
• As I mentioned above, taste the salsa before you add the honey. You might like it sweeter, or the vinegar and pomegranate tartness could be perfect for you.
• If you want to make the salsa ahead of time, leave out the parsley and add that when you are ready to eat.
• When cooking the salmon, place it presentation side up into the frying pan. By this, I mean that the underneath, the side where the skin was, faces up from the pan. Doing this gives you a great crust on the top of the salmon and helps the salmon keep its shape. 

These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.

• The salsa is terrific served with other fish. Instead of salmon, try a white fish like cod or halibut. Or go for a meaty fish like tuna or swordfish.
• The salsa is also great with grilled chicken breasts. 
• Try the salsa on bruschetta or with some toast points. Spread the breads with goat's cheese, then top with the fruity salsa. 
• Add extra fruit to the salsa. You could add chopped strawberries, mango, or pineapple to the salsa for an extra fruity kick. 
• Add spice with some chopped jalapenos. 
• Switch the fresh parsley for fresh cilantro, oregano, or dill. 

Sides: As a late summer dinner, this pomegranate salmon is perfect with a green salad and some boiled baby potatoes. Later in the year, add some crispy pan-fried potatoes or a baked potato with some sour cream.

Wines: The salsa's sweet and sour notes are perfect served with an off-dry Reisling or a Gewürztraminer. Both work well with rich fish and salsa. If you want a drier wine, look for a Roussanne, which will balance the richness of the salmon without pulling back the tart flavors in the salsa.