richard Our new chums at Abel & Cole have been sending us more delicious treats to cook, scoff and review. This week our stash included organic Scottish Salmon which if you follow that link you will find out live in remote and spacious cages off the coast of the Orkneys. It goes on to report that our fish had been coerced into swimming against the current in order to buff up its physique and make its flesh lean, firm and hopefully very tasty. We decided to cook it simply and pair it up with some peas to make:
Lemon salmon with minted crushed peas
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Skill level: easy
Serves: 2
Recipe: Way’ro website
Ingredients
For the Lemon Salmon:
- 2 skinless Abel & Cole organic salmon fillets (other brands of salmon are available) – 375g
- 6 slices of lemon
- olive oil
For the Minted Crushed Peas:
- frozen peas – thawed – 250g
- 2 spring onions – chopped
- vegetable stock – 125ml
- mint leaves – roughly chopped – generous handful
- caster sugar – ½ tsp
- Parmesan – grated – 40g
- olive oil
Our two salmon fillets arrived in the now familiar A&C ice box which kept them cool despite sitting under my desk at work for most of the day. The fish was obviously very fresh as it didn’t give off the usual waft of stale fishy air when I pierced the cellophane. Both fillets were generously thick and ample enough for two hungry/greedy people. But enough of this advertorial spiel – on with the recipe:
To make the minted peas, heat some oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the spring onions and cook for a minute.
Increase the heat, add the peas, stock, sugar and mint and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 40 ml of the stock mixture which you add back to the peas, before roughly mashing with a fork. Stir in the cheese, check for seasoning, cover and set aside.
Place the lemon, slightly overlapping, on top of both of the fillets.
Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan over a high heat. Add the salmon fillets lemon-side down and cook for 3 minutes until the lemons are starting to caramelise.
Carefully flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve the fish on top of the peas.
Verdict: The salmon didn’t die in vain as it was plump, moist, firm and tasty – must be all that swimming against the tide. The minted peas were a very good and amiable companion.
Drink: After a weekend of drinking cans of over-priced Red Stripe, a booze-free evening.
Entertainment: The final episode of ‘Getting On’ on the iPlayer – I can’t think of a better comedy on TV this year. Who could fail to laugh at the idea of Jo Brand playing a character called Kim Wilde?
Jo Brand
