Pesto-Crusted Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 6 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Six 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• cut into 6 pieces

Instructions

1. In a food processor, pulse the garlic and pine nuts to a paste.
2. Add the basil and process to a paste.
3. With the machine on, slowly pour in 1/2 cup of the olive oil, scraping down the sides once, to make a smooth pesto sauce.
4. Scrape the pesto into a bowl and stir in 1 cup of the bread crumbs.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Preheat the oven to 350.
7. In a large skillet, warm 2 teaspoons of the oil over high heat.
8. Season the salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
9. When the oil is almost smoking, add 3 of the fillets and brown them quickly, turning once, about 1 minute per side.
10. Repeat with the remaining fillets and brown them quickly, turning once, about 1 minute per side.
11. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
12. Let the salmon cool to room temperature.
13. Spread 2 tablespoons of the pesto on 1 side of each fillet.
14. Gently pack the remaining bread crumbs on top of the pesto.
15. Warm 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in each of 2 large ovenproof skillets over moderate heat.
16. When the pans are hot, carefully add the salmon fillets, pesto side down, Put 1 piece of the butter next to each fillet to melt into the oil.
17. Cook until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 3 minutes.
18. Transfer the skillets to the oven without turning the fillets and bake for about 5 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through.
19. Serve the fillets pesto side up.