Pan Roasted Salmon with Lemon & Coriander Mayonnaise

 This very simple rather Summery dish is a version of Daniel Galmiche's the only difference is that he uses Lime rather than Lemon in the Mayonnaise, which is without doubt a far better choice, I just didn't have a Lime to hand last night!

 Start by making the Mayonnaise I love making my own but mid week a jar of Hellmann's is forgivable, In a bowl Zest a Lemon add a handful of Coriander Leaves finely chopped a couple of large spoonfuls of the Mayonnaise Salt and Pepper and a squeeze of Lemon juice. If you have Lime use it instead in exactly the same way and mix it all together

Now score the skin of your Salmon Fillet with a sharp knife and season. In a non stick frying pan heat a dollop of Butter and a splash of Olive Oil on a medium high heat until its foaming and add your Salmon skin side down for 4 minutes. Don't move it.

Then flip the fish over and cook for a minute, flip it once more skin side down and put in a pre heated oven at 200c for 5 minutes.

Let the fish rest for a minute or two before serving. I made some charred Asparagus and a crushed New Potatoes with Coriander, and a spoonful of the zesty Mayonnaise on the side. Perfect

Salmon en Croute

I was thinking what I could make and saw this rather retro dish on The Good Food Show cooked by the master Michelle Roux so I thought I would give it a go.

It's a lovely and easy Dinner Party dish, although mine looked more like a hot water bottle than a fish!

It is actually Salmon with Spinach and Salmon Mouse wrapped in Puff Pastry, Got to say was delicious  and the Salmon was perfectly cooked.

I took two sheets of ready made puff pastry and rolled them out, Placed one of the sheets in a Roasting tin, A flat baking tin would have been better but I haven't got one! and put a large piece of Salmon skin side down on one of the sheets and cut around in roughly the shape of a headless Fish, Tin wasn't big enough to fit the head!

I had cut off a small piece from the Salmon earlier and skinned a small slice a couple of inches across and put it into the food processor with a little cream a drop of Fish stock and blitzed to a Mousse seasoned and using a knife spread over the Salmon.

I had already cooked some Spinach which I had drained and put this on  top of the Mousse, then after brushing the bottom layer edges of Pastry with Egg wash placed the other sheet of Pastry on top.

Scored and cut out a decorative Fish made from the leftover Pastry, but I could have done a better job, brushed the top with Egg wash and placed in the oven at 200c for 30 minutes

Whilst this was cooking a got a small pan scorching hot and added a glass of Noilly Pratt and let it reduce, then added some Fish Stock and finally some Cream and let it reduce. Finished the sauce with fresh chopped Dill and Parsley and a knob of Butter, Yummy and perfect with the fish.

It was to die for, really easy and the Salmon was perfect, I was worried it would overcook but it didn't you have absolutely got to try this I am sure you will enjoy.

Tray Baked Salmon on Mediterranean Vegetables

I was, as ever delighted to cook for my dear friend Ute's party on Saturday night. She wanted something simple and vibrant that could to a large extent be pre prepped so that I didn't miss the fun of the party, so we settled on a Pea and Truffle Oil Soup which is on a previous post and my version of what is in essence Jamie's Summer tray baked Salmon.

Couldn't be easier, take a tub of Cherry Tomatoes cut them in half 4 plum Tomatoes cut into quarters or whatever shapes you fancy and a Jar of pre boiled New Potatoes and put them in a large Roasting tin.

We used a bulb of Fennel cut it into slices and the tops into chunks and pre boiled for two minutes with 3 sliced Courgettes, then add to the Roasting Tin with some fresh Parsley and a handful of Dill. A generous glug of Olive Oil, Season well with freshly milled Black Pepper and quite a lot of Rock Salt and using your fingers mix everything together.

Pre heat your Oven to 230c lay the pinboned Salmon fillets on top of the Vegetables, grate some Lemon Zest over the top and place in the Oven for ten Minutes. Don't be tempted to overcook the Salmon or it will die. The Salmon was Delicious and the Oil and Moisture from the fish and vegetables gives it's own sauce.

Dinner was a great success even though we had a broken cork in a magnum of a beautiful Rioja and had to decant at a snails pace as the wine trickled out which took forever. Ute made delicious fresh Lemon Mousse which I will have to get the recipe for to share with you it was light and citrusy and the three dishes worked so well together. It was a fantastic Evening in great company.