• Peel and thinly slice the shallots.
• Finely chop, press, or grate enough garlic to measure 1 teaspoon.
• Pull the dates away from their pits; coarsely chop the fruit.
• Trim the root end from the escarole; coarsely chop the leaves.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 2 to 3 teaspoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the dates, escarole, and ¼ cup water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the escarole is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.
While the escarole cooks, prepare the orange-almond relish.

• Zest the orange into a medium bowl. Using your hands or a sharp knife, peel the orange; working over the bowl, cut between the membranes to release the segments into the bowl. Alternatively, cut the fruit in half lengthwise and then coarsely chop. Discard any seeds.
• Coarsely chop the olives.
• Coarsely chop the olives.
• Strip the parsley leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves.

To the bowl with the orange zest and segments, add the olives, almonds, parsley, sumac, and 1 tablespoon oil, if desired, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Prep and cook instructions are almost identical for both fish options.

• Pat the fish dry with a paper towel; season generously with salt and pepper.

In the same pan used for the escarole, warm 2 to 3 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the fish (skin side down for the salmon) and cook until lightly browned (and the salmon skin is crisp), 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook until the flesh is opaque and flaky, 2 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the escarole mixture to individual plates. Top with the fish, spoon the orange-almond relish on top, and serve.