RECIPE
I, like many, was raised on the mild and meek safety of cod and haddock. I couldn’t conceive of fish coming in anything other than fingers as a child. Imagine then my horror when I was first presented with a coral pink slab of flesh calling itself salmon. Mind blown.
Salmon is one of those fish that you either love or hate. I know a lot of fish-phobes refer to it as ‘fishy fish’ as it has a much stronger flavour than the beloved fish finger. As a teenager it could only pass my lips once sloshed around in balsamic vinegar and onions and cooked for 25 minutes.
The result was a vaguely edible, leathery chunk of something formerly known as salmon. Not exactly gourmet I grant but there’s something to be said for taste trickery as over the years I’ve acclimatised to salmon’s ‘fishiness’ and absolutely love it now.
I’m pleased to say I’m a little less heavy handed with my condiments these days and here I present for your delectation three of my go-to salmon recipes. The sticky garlic and ginger version is particularly good for salmon-phobes as the strong flavours in the marinade really do tame the fishiness.
With a lemon & parsley crust
A crust is an easy way to add both taste and texture to fish. I turn here not to panko crumbs, though you’re welcome to use them, but to well-toasted bread. I’ve suggested granary as it adds even more taste and texture but use whatever you have to hand. If you don’t have a hand blender with a processor drum attachment just chop everything finely and combine in a bowl before sprinkling on top of your salmon fillets.
TIME SAVER: The beauty of this crust is that it can be made in larger batches and frozen. Then, when you call upon it again, simply sprinkle it onto your fish straight from the freezer. Bonus!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 fresh salmon fillets, boneless & skin on
- 2 slices of granary bread, well toasted
- Small bunch of fresh parsley
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 tbsp regular olive oil
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp maldon or ½ tsp sea salt
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C Fan
Place the salmon fillets in a shallow oven tray lined with baking parchment and pour a little glug of oil over each one. Set aside for minute while you get on with the crust.
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Toast the bread on a setting that ensures they’re well toasted without being burnt. Once toasted, allow them to cool before tearing them into rough pieces and putting them into the processor drum of a stick blender.
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Add the parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, wholegrain mustard and maldon salt to the drum and blitz for a few seconds until you have a medium-coarse crumb. The mix should be wet enough that it stays put when you clump a little bit of it together – this will help it stay put on top of the salmon. You can add a little extra oil and blitz again if you feel you need to.
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Then, with your hands, gently place your crust creation on top of each fillet, patting it down a little if you need to – don’t worry if some scatters around the fish rather than on it.
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Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the crumb just starts to brown.
With sticky garlic and ginger
I devised this when I was working as a Nutritionist for people who wanted to eat more oily fish but struggled to get past the ‘fishiness’ of salmon. The salty-sweet marinade clings to the fish ensuring every mouthful is balanced in taste and the salmon doesn’t overpower.
TIP: Give the frying pan a quick rinse with HOT water as soon as you’re done otherwise it may prove a bugger to clean.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp regular olive oil
- 3 tbsp good quality soy sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove of garlic, grated
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 fresh salmon fillets, boneless & skin on
METHOD
Start with the marinade by pouring the olive oil, soy sauce and honey into a shallow dish large enough to house the 2 salmon fillets.
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Finely grate the ginger root and garlic. Add them to the bowl along with the spring onions and dried chilli flakes and give everything a vigorous stir. A loop whisk works well here.
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Add the salmon fillets to the bowl and let them soak in their sticky, salty bath, turning them over after a minute or so. Whilst the salmon soaks, heat a frying pan dry with no oil.
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Once the frying pan is hot, lay the salmon fillets on it skin-side down (it will sizzle!). After about 3 minutes carefully flip the fillets over and let them brown for a further 4 minutes or so (they may need a little longer depending on their size and thickness). Remove them to a heated plate once you’re happy with them and loosely cover them with foil.
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Finally, pour the marinade into the frying pan – it will bubble ferociously for a second or two, don’t panic. Let it bubble away for a minute or so until it starts to thicken and becomes sticky and then remove from the heat. Pour the thickened marinade over the salmon fillets to serve.
With feta and mint
This way of cooking salmon is so easy it borders on the ridiculous. Proof that good food doesn’t have to be complicated. Enough said.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 fresh salmon fillets, boneless & skin on
- Olive oil for pouring
- 60g Greek feta
- zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
- Approx. 6 fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- Salt & ground black pepper to taste
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C Fan
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Put the salmon fillets in a shallow oven tray lined with baking parchment and pour a little glug of oil over each one.
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Cut the feta into small cubes, or break it up with your fingers and place on top of the salmon fillets along with the lemon zest, torn mint leaves, salt and pepper.
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Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Told you it was easy!
