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Caribbean Jerk Salmon with Curried Pineapple and Goat Cheese Salad + Fruit Salad.

Caribbean Jerk Salmon with Curried Pineapple and Goat Cheese Salad + Fruit Salad.

Make Caribbean Jerk Salmon with Curried Pineapple and Goat Cheese Salad + Fruit Salad for a bright, spicy weeknight feast.

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time37 minutes
Yield4

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Make the curried pineapple and goat cheese salad

Toss the chopped pineapple, halved grape tomatoes, seeded chopped jalapeño, chopped cilantro and drained black beans together in a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the limes over the mixture, sprinkle in the spicy curry powder, chili powder, cayenne and a pinch of salt, then give everything a confident, even toss so the fruit and beans are evenly coated with bright citrus and spice. Fold in the crumbled goat cheese gently so the soft white curds cling to pineapple chunks and tomatoes, then cover and chill until you’re ready to plate — this salad should look glossy, jewel-toned and slightly creamy where the cheese meets the fruit.

Step 2: Preheat the grill

Bring the grill to medium-high so it’s ready once the fish is sauced and the surface will sear quickly. This is a quick, high-heat cook — getting the grill hot ahead of time is the small step that protects the salmon’s flaky interior while building a caramelized glaze on the outside.

Step 3: Whisk the Caribbean jerk glaze

In a measuring cup or small bowl whisk together the ketchup, reduced-sodium soy sauce, fresh orange juice, molasses, curry powder, cayenne, ground cinnamon, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic and olive oil until smooth and glossy. The sauce should be thick, deep amber-red with visible flecks of spice and ginger, syrupy enough to cling to a spoon.

Step 4: Marinate the salmon

Place the skin-on salmon in a shallow bowl or a sealed bag and rub about a quarter cup of the jerk glaze all over the flesh, massaging it into the surface. Reserve the remaining glaze for basting. Let the salmon rest briefly so the glaze adheres and builds a sticky, spiced coating across the fillet.

Step 5: Grill and finish the salmon

Place the glazed salmon flesh-side down on the hot grill for a few minutes to set grill marks and caramelize the sugars, then flip, baste with the reserved glaze and cook until just opaque and flaky. Remove from heat, let the fillet cool slightly, peel away the skin and cut the salmon into four equal, glossy pieces with a deeply caramelized exterior and a tender, flaky interior.

Step 6: Assemble the plated main

Divide the chilled curried pineapple and goat cheese salad onto shallow matte grey ceramic dinner plates (a rounded shallow bowl style works well). Top each mound with one piece of the glazed, skin-removed salmon so the warm, shiny fillet sits on the cool, textured salad — finish with a scatter of extra crumbled goat cheese and a few fresh cilantro leaves for contrast and aroma.

Step 7: Build the layered fruit salad and present in the watermelon bowl

Scoop or dice the watermelon, then combine half the watermelon, half the strawberries, half the blackberries, half the blueberries and half the pineapple in a bowl, drizzle with the juice of one lemon and sprinkle half the chopped mint (or basil) and half the Valbreso feta; repeat with the remaining fruit, lemon, herbs and feta so everything is evenly dressed and bright. Carefully fill a hollowed watermelon shell with the dressed fruit mixture so the vibrant mosaic of red, pink, black, blue and golden pineapple spills from the carved bowl; finish with a sprig of mint on top for a final fresh pop.

Notes