Chef Nissim Zleit’s Pistachio-Crusted Salmon Wins Praise as Best Ever

Chef Nissim Zleit impressed judges on the Israeli cooking show "MasterChef: Dream Team" with his pistachio-crusted salmon recipe, which judges called the best salmon dish they had ever tasted. The judges reacted enthusiastically: Eyal admitted he was delighted, Michal pounded the table in approval, and Yuval declared it the best salmon of his life. The recipe features salmon fillets topped with a crust made from roasted pistachios, panko breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, parsley, and crushed corset leaves, baked until golden and served with a lemon-butter and corset leaf sauce.

The preparation involves grinding the pistachios coarsely, mixing them with the other crust ingredients to form a moist mixture that adheres to the fish. The salmon is seasoned, brushed with olive oil, and baked at 200 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes, ensuring the crust crisps while the fish remains tender and pink inside. The sauce is made by melting butter with lemon juice and finely chopped corset leaves, cooked briefly to blend flavors.

Additionally, the article includes a recipe for a ricotta corset cake with corset syrup and anglaise sauce, prepared by Elihav Sasson and Jacky Azulay. This dessert involves making a syrup from sugar, water, and corset leaves, a butter infusion, and a light cake batter folded with whipped egg whites and ricotta, baked and soaked in syrup. The anglaise sauce is thickened with cornstarch and flavored with almond liqueur, served with berries.

These recipes showcase innovative uses of corset leaves, a herb that adds unique flavor, elevating traditional dishes. The article emphasizes the chefs’ creativity and the judges’ enthusiastic responses, highlighting the salmon dish as a standout culinary achievement on the show.