Pan-Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

We officially moved into our new apartment in West Seattle this weekend! The apartment is a good deal, and is actually probably one of the nicest apartments we have lived in for several years. One of my favorite things about the new apartment is the kitchen. While our kitchen isn't overly fancy, it does have granite counter tops, an oven/stove that works, and enough room for Seamus and me to both be working at the same time.

We made this dish to break in our new kitchen, and boy am I glad we did! Seamus cooked the fish perfectly, following the directions in the recipe exactly. It turned out so well that I think this is how we will be cooking our salmon every time in the future!

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Ted Allen via Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pan-roasted-salmon-with-tomato-vinaigrette

1. 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
3. 1 tablespoon drained capers
4. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5. Salt
6. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. 4 center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
8. Freshly ground pepper
9. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10. 2 tablespoons canola oil
11. 1 tablespoon minced parsley
12. 1 tablespoon chopped basil

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the shallot, capers, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and pour off any fat in the skillet.
3. Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin, canola oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with the parsley and basil and serve right away.