Spicy salmon with herb sauce

Ingredients:

Salmon

• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1.5 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 salmon fillet with skin (1.3 kg)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Green sauce

• 1.5 cups fresh parsley
• 1.5 cups fresh chervil
• 1/4 cup fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Prepare the salmon:

   
   Grind the coriander and fennel seeds in a spice grinder until coarsely ground. Set aside 1 teaspoon of the spices, transfer the rest to a small bowl, and add the sugar and 2 teaspoons of salt (reserve the remaining 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture for the sauce).
   
2. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the fillets skin-side down on the foil. Rub the fish with olive oil, then sprinkle with the sugar-spice mixture. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the herb sauce:

   
   In a blender, puree the parsley, chervil, chives, lemon zest and juice, and the reserved 1 teaspoon of spice mixture until a coarse paste forms. With the blender running, gradually add the olive oil and 1/4 cup of cold water and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
4. Preheat the oven to broil. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Broil the salmon in the oven until the top is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center of the fillet registers 115°F (45°C), 9-11 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Using two large spatulas, transfer the fish to a serving platter, discarding the skin. Serve with the herb sauce.