Pan Seared Salmon with a Tomato-Fennel Confit Recipe

Prepare a pot of boiling water, and a large bowl or other vessel filled with iced water. On the bottom of each tomato, cut an X with the point of a paring or chef's knife. Each slit should be roughly an inch long, but try not to pierce too deep into the tomato's flesh. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 1 minute, then immerse the tomatoes in the iced water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Remove them from the iced water and dry. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, skin the tomatoes starting at the of the X. The skin should come off fairly easily. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, and remove the seeds and excess juice, and drain the tomatoes in a collander or dry on paper towels.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow baking dish, place the tomatoes, garlic, and fennel in one layer. Add the herbs, season with kosher salt and pepper, and pour enough of the oil in to just barely come to the top of the tomatoes and fennel. Cover with foil, and roast in the oven for 1 hour or until tender.

Meanwhile, heat the frying oil in a saute pan until lightly smoking. Lightly dust the salmon with flour, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add the salmon to the pan and saute until browned and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the fish over, and continue cooking until just barely cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with the confit and oil from the confit.

Any extra confit can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Any extra oil from the confit can be strained and stored for up to two weeks in the fridge.