Sustainably farmed Scottish salmon is a good choice for a healthy, good value meal.
There are of course a whole series of challenges with poorly farmed salmon and the decimation of the wild salmon stocks so, if you can, buy direct from a fishmonger who sources responsibility.
Don’t over- cook salmon, it can get dry and tasteless. I prefer it grilled from the skin side up. The crispy chargrilled skin is delicious .
CHARGRILLED SALMON, AVOCADO AND DILL SALSA
4 X Scottish Salmon fillets with skin on (approx. 180g)
Extra virgin Olive oil and seasoning
Avocado Salsa
2 -3 ripe avocados
4 -6 small crisp green tomatoes, Sardinian Camone or ‘tiger’ variety
1 dessert spoon caper berries in brine, chopped
grated rind of an unwaxed lemon and the juice
fresh dill
extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Check the flesh of the salmon with your fingers to make sure there are no stray bones.
(You can remove any bones easily with clean tweezers).
Wash the salmon in cold water and pat dry.
Season it and rub it with some olive oil. Add some gratings of lemon rind.
Leave to marinade for an hour or so, removing from the fridge an hour before cooking.
Make the Avocado Salsa
Cut the flesh of the avocados and the tomatoes into bite sized pieces.
Mix together in a bowl with the chopped caper berries, more lemon rind and chopped fresh dill.
Stir in 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and season well.
Don’t add the lemon juice until just ready to eat or the salsa will discolour.
When ready to cook, pre-heat a ridged grill pan.
Place the salmon skin side down on the grill pan and with the heat at medium, allow it to cook until the skin is charred and blackened.
The flesh of the salmon will start to cook from the bottom up. When it looks like the outside has coloured right to the top, use a spatula to turn the salmon over and allow it to cook for a further minute or two from the top down.
Alternatively, you can put it under the grill for a few minutes to finish cooking the top of the fish.
In all, the salmon should take no more than 6-7 minutes to cook…don’t be tempted to overcook it.
To reassure yourself you can cut one piece through the salmon. It should be still bright in the middle .
Remove to warmed plates.
Finally, mix the lemon juice into the salsa and serve beside the salmon with another drizzle of olive oil.
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