Easy Grilled Salmon with Radicchio

Proof that something light and quick can still feel like a restaurant plate. This dish sets salmon fillets, grilled fast over high heat, on a bed of radicchio tossed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. The leaf’s pleasant bitterness and that hit of lemon are the ideal counterpoint to the rich, fatty fish.

The grilling is quick on purpose, about four minutes a side over high heat for salmon that stays medium-rare and juicy. Push it longer and it dries out, so keep an eye on it.

Laying the hot fillets over the dressed radicchio softens the leaves just slightly, and a final pour of fresh, raw tomato sauce brings a cool, bright tang. The whole thing comes together in half an hour, which makes it as good for a weeknight as for guests.

Chef Tips

• Grill the salmon over high heat and pull it at medium-rare; salmon turns dry and chalky the moment it overcooks.
• Dress the radicchio just before plating so it stays crisp and the lemon stays bright.
• Use a truly fresh, uncooked tomato sauce here; cooking it loses the clean, raw brightness that lifts the dish.
• Oil the grates and the fish well so the fillets release cleanly instead of tearing.

Variations

• Grill the radicchio briefly instead of serving it raw, for a smoky, mellower bitterness.
• Swap the salmon for trout, tuna, or a firm white fish.
• Finish with capers, olives, or a few torn basil leaves.