Salmon with fennel and olive

Salmon is one of my favorite fishes. This time I wished to pair it up with some clean and distinct flavors. The meaty bitterness of green olives, the piquant flavor from capers, the heat of green peppercorns, and the delicate sweetness of fennel – all complimented well the soft succulent oily salmon. Baking the dish helped retaining the flavors of each of the components. A drizzle of olive oil completed it.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 2)

2 salmon fillet (~200g each)

1 small fennel bulb

10 green olives

10 capers

10 green peppercorns

Oregano

Salt, olive oil

METHOD:

1.      Finely chop the fennel bulb. Cut the olives into quarters.

2.      Rub the fish fillets with olive oil, salt and oregano.

3.      In a baking tray, put the fish fillets skin side down. Add the chopped fennel, olives, capers and oregano.

4.      Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes.

5.      Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Bhaja masala crusted salmon

Bhaja masla, literally translated to toasted spices, is my favorite Bengali spice mix. I love its salty savory aroma and taste, and almost like to try it with everything. So, this time it was the turn for salmon. I decided to crust the nice salmon piece with bhaja masala, however, I decided to increase the amount of mustard seeds. I very much love the flavor of fried fresh coriander leaves. Therefore, added them while pan-frying my salmon. And wow, it worked. The spices and the fish worked so well. One of my favorite fishes with my favorite spice mix created a dish that I can call one of my favorites!! I loved it.

  

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 2)

2 steaks of salmon

2 small zucchini (bio)

1/2cup chopped coriander

Salt

Oil

For the crust:

1tbsp mustard seeds

1sp fennel seeds

2 dried red chilies

1/2sp cumin seeds

1/2sp nigella seeds

1/2sp fenugreek seeds

METHOD:

1.      Toast the seeds for the crust in a pan. Let it cool and then grind it coarsely.

2.      Cut the zucchini into 1inch slices (with skin).

3.      Lightly coat with oil. Season with 1/2sp spice mix and salt.

4.      Bake for 40 mins at 180°C.

5.      Pat dry the salmon steaks and season with salt.

6.      Press the salmon in the spice mix to give it a nice coat.

7.      In a heated greased pan, fry the salmon with skin side down until almost done. Add chopped coriander leaves while frying.

8.      Flip over and fry the crusted side until brown.

9.      Serve with baked zucchini slices.

Tea crusted salmon with asparagus

While watching some cookery show other day, I saw a tea crusted fish recipe. And being a lover of fish, I of course had to try it at the soonest possible opportunity. The show I was watching served tea crusted flatheads with consommé. I thought my dish a bit differently. I love salmon, and good quality salmon is easily available in the fresh market. I decided to crust it with Indian green tea on both sides. Then I pan-fried it in olive oil. In the market there were selling lovely tender asparagus, and I had bought some. The succulent asparagus boiled in tea teamed up great with the salmon. The crispy salmon crust broke into its soft juicy orange flesh on a bed of tender asparagus. It was a well-balanced play of subtle flavors and textures. I simply couldn’t have enough of it. One very simple, elegant and delicate dish it was.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
(Serves 2 )

2 pieces of salmon (with skin)
6-8 tea bags (~15g tea)
20 asparagus shoots
Salt
Butter
Olive oil

METHOD:

1. Crust both sides of the salmon pieces evenly with powdered tea.
2. In a pot, start boiling water and drop a tea bag.
3. Cut away the hard bottom part of the asparagus shoots.
4. Boil them in tea water for around 5 minutes until tender yet firm.
5. Drain and sprinkle with salt and add a dullop of butter.
6. Heat olive oil in a pan.
7. When oil is hot, put in the salmon pieces skin side down and fry on medium heat.
8. Turn over, and fry until it is cooked through.
9. Drain oil and serve on a bed of asparagus.

NOTE:
The oil should be hot enough for frying fish.
To cut of the hard bottom of asparagus and not have much waste, try to break it towards the end. The natural breaking point is the point beyond which the shoot is hard.