Chef critique
Blackberry Coho with Corn Succotash
The recipe features an elegant flavor profile and correct salmon temperatures, but the vegetable timing leads to mushy zucchini, tossing ingredients on a hot pan is hazardous, and the dish is slightly oversalted.
Score: 6/10
Suggested fixes
- Instruct the cook to toss the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and thyme in a mixing bowl before transferring them to the baking sheet.
- Adjust the timing so the salmon and vegetables roast simultaneously for 10-12 minutes, preventing the zucchini from overcooking and simplifying the process.
- Reduce the salt to 3/4 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt for the salmon (closer to 1.25% by weight) and 3/4 teaspoon for the vegetables (closer to 1% by weight).
Issues
- high / safety: Instructing the user to add oil and wet vegetables directly to a 425°F sheet pan and toss them on the hot pan will cause dangerous splattering and makes it difficult to mix without burning hands.
- medium / timing: Roasting 1/2-inch diced zucchini for 12 minutes before adding the salmon for an additional 8-11 minutes means the zucchini will cook for over 20 minutes at 425°F, which will result in mushy vegetables.
- medium / flavor: The salt quantities exceed standard starting points. 1 1/4 teaspoons of Morton kosher salt for 15 ounces of vegetables is nearly 1.5% salinity by weight, and 1 teaspoon for 12 ounces of salmon is also around 1.5%.
Strengths
- Beautifully composed dish with appealing seasonal Pacific Northwest flavors
- Clear target doneness of 125°F for the salmon perfectly matches the temperature guidelines
- Smart use of resting time for the salmon while plating the succotash
- Excellent formatting of bulleted ingredient lists separated by blank lines