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Iraqi-Inspired Broiled Salmon with Tomatoes and Onion

Iraqi-Inspired Broiled Salmon with Tomatoes and Onion

By Courtney HillNovember 15, 2022

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Rating

This recipe was inspired by the Iraqi dish known as masgouf—fish grilled over an open fire and smothered with cooked onions and tomatoes. We cook salmon fillets under the broiler, so you don’t need to fire up the grill and the dish comes together easily even on weeknights. Sliced onion and cherry tomatoes are roasted at a high temperature to caramelize them and concentrate their sweet flavors. Curry-seasoned salmon then is nestled into the sauce and quickly broiled, so make sure your baking dish is broiler-safe.

Ingredients
  • 1

    teaspoon curry powder

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 4

    6-ounce center-cut salmon fillets (each 1 to 1¼ inches thick), patted dry

  • 1

    medium red OR yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1

    pint cherry OR grape tomatoes

  • 4

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 2

    tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2

    tablespoons lemon OR orange juice, divided, plus 1 tablespoon grated lemon OR orange zest

  • 1

    teaspoon ground coriander OR ½ teaspoon ground ginger OR both

  • ½

    cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • Optional garnish: Toasted and roughly chopped pine nuts

Step 1

Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. In a small bowl, stir together the curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Season the salmon all over with the mixture; set aside.

Step 2

In a broiler-safe 9-by-13-inch baking dish, stir together the onion, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Distribute in an even layer and roast until the tomatoes are beginning to burst, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the coriander and ½ cup water. In another small bowl, stir together the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, lemon zest and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside for serving.

Step 4

Remove the baking dish from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Stir the tomato paste mixture into the onion and tomatoes. Nestle the salmon skin (or skinned) side down into the mixture, then spoon some of the onion and tomatoes over the top. Broil until both the salmon and tomato-onion mixture are spotty brown and the fish flakes easily, 4 to 6 minutes.

Step 5

Cool for about 5 minutes, then spoon the parsley mixture over the top.