“Grilled” Salmon with Figs, Watercress, and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Last night, I made salmon “grilled” in my cast iron grill pan with “grilled” figs served over watercress with balsamic vinaigrette. The recipe was from Dave Pasternack’s Young Man & the Sea, a cookbook that I still haven’t made up my mind on yet. On one hand, the book features very simple seafood recipes and has helped me discover some excellent flavor pairing when it comes to seafood. On the other hand, the recipes I have tried have been very hit or miss, with some seemingly incorrect information when it comes to cooking times and the amount of olive oil to use in each dish. Fortunately, last night’s dish fell into the hit category.

The exact recipe is easy to find online, but it takes very little in the terms of step-by-step directions. I rubbed a salmon filet with olive oil and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I threw the salmon onto the grill pan skin-side down and grilled for five minutes over medium-high heat. I flipped it, and grilled it another minute or so, then set it aside. I threw 6 fig halves onto the grill pan and stirred them for about 2 minutes. I plated everything on top of a bed of watercress dressed with a simple balsamic vinaigrette (olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper), and drizzled the figs with a bit more of the vinaigrette.