Salmon With Grated Tomato 

and Butter

In the Summer, several things become important. Besides staying out of the heat, I try to use the season's produce, and I avoid long, drawn out recipes. I came across this one in the New York Times and tried it. I like it, but I have added the tweaks that I think improve it.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients 

1 8 - 12 ounce fillet of wild caught salmon, cut onto equal potions

1 large beefsteak tomato, halved

4 ounces butter

4 stems of thyme

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper

1 Tbs. cooking oil

Method  

Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the interior flesh from the tomato halves into a small bowl. As you grate the skin will flatten but remain whole.

Discard or eat the skin.

Place the oil in a large non-stick skillet and heat to medium high. Salt and pepper both side of the two salmon pieces. Place the pieces in the skillet, skin side down. Cook until a crust forms. Turn the fish over and cook it until a crust forms on that side. Flip the fish again and cook until the fish is not quite done. Remove the fish and set aside.

Add the butter to the skillet. When it melts, add the garlic and thyme. Careful, the thyme will splatter. Cook the garlic for about one minute and add the grated tomato. Cook the sauce until hot. Do not cook the sauce for long. You want to keep the summer tomato flavor. The large size skillet will evaporate the water quickly, the sauce will turn orange, but the tomato taste will remain.

Place the fish skin side down in the the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the fish. Continue to cook until the fish is done to your liking.

Adjust the salt and pepper and serve immediately.