Super Salmon

I love salmon! There, I've said it. Whether it be smoked or fresh, you can use this amazing fish in so many dishes. Really, if there was no other fish or seafood available, I wouldn't mind at all. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't really like it that much and can't stand the smell when it's cooking. As a trade off, I try to make salmon much more interesting when I cook it, to satisfy both of us.

Australia is so lucky to have some of the best salmon easily available to the general customer. Every fish shop or market will usually have either Tassal or Huon salmon from Tasmania. Both are amazing. I'm lucky enough to get to the Tassal store in Kew to buy my fish, where it is so fresh and they have a great range of different products. Here I'm in salmon heaven - cold smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon, salmon sausages, marinated fillets and whole fish. Last Easter we did a whole roasted salmon on the BBQ, which was fantastic!

For this dinner, I thought I'd keep the salmon simple, but match it with strong and flavoursome sides which would complement the fish. It's hard to overpower salmon.

The mash is actually a carrot and ricotta puree, which added some sweetness. The peas used some more of the fresh ricotta, in addition to fresh mint and lemon rind. The combination of the creaminess of the ricotta, the sweetness of the peas and the freshness of the lemon and mint were beautiful.

Again, this was such a simple dish to prepare, so it's great for a worknight meal when you want something quick, healthy and tasty.

 

Salmon with Carrot Puree and Ricotta Peas

 

2 salmon fillets, pin-boned and skin on
salt and pepper
A drizzle of Olive oil

Heat the drizzle of oil in a fry pan until really hot. You don't need too much oil as the salmon will release its own oil on cooking.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the pan. You want the skin to become all crispy, so leave it for about 5 minutes.
Carefully turn the salmon, trying to keep the crispy skin intact. Cook on the other side for another 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. You want the centre to be barely cooked, otherwise it will be dry and horrible.
When cooked, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to rest for a few minutes while you get the sides organised.

Carrot Puree

4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
50g fresh ricotta
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook carrots in some water in the microwave or stovetop until tender. Drain.
Place cooked carrots, garlic and ricotta in a small food processor and whiz until a fine puree is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.
Return puree to clean saucepan and heat through again when ready to serve.

 

Ricotta Peas

 

100g frozen peas
50g fresh ricotta
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook frozen peas in some water in the microwave or stovetop until tender. Drain and keep warm.
Put peas in a bowl and stir through ricotta, lemon rind, mint and salt and pepper to taste. Try to break up the ricotta, but don't make it too mushy.


To serve, place a spoonful of the carrot puree on the plate. Carefully place the salmon on top, then scatter with the pea mixture. If you want to be all fancy, garnish with a few more mint leaves and a grinding of cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

And To Drink.....

Even though you really don't have to stick to the 'red wine goes with red meat and white wine goes with chicken and fish' mantra, I still think that a white goes better with salmon. Yes, it's a meaty, full flavoured fish, but a more delicate floral white wine can be a perfect match.

This Leconfield 2006 Old Vines Riesling from Coonawarra in South Australia was fantastic. Being an aged wine it had a lot more complexity to it and was starting to develop a slight kerosene touch, which I love in an older Riesling. There was still plenty of fresh, fruity flavours that you would expect in a wine of this type.

The acidity in the wine cut through the richness of the salmon perfectly and matched with the lemon zest in the peas. The sweetness of the carrot puree also brought out a more honeysuckle aroma and taste.

The wines from Leconfield are always great, so it's worth looking out for them in the bottle shop or in restaurants. They make a Riesling and Chardonnay and also a range of reds, which the Coonawarra region is more know for.