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Spicy salmon on samphire Photo by Wlater Pfeiffer; fish recipes; main course dish
Spicy salmon on samphire with saffron sauce
Chef
Intermed..
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Connemara native Máirín Uí Chomáin is a former chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, an active member of the Slow Food movement, and holds an honorary MA from NUI Galway in recognition of her commitment to home economics. www.irishcuisine.ie  This recipe is from her book Celebrating Irish Salmon (Photography: Walter Pfeiffer)

PREP IN
15 MIN
COOK IN
45 MIN
SERVE
4
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Spicy salmon on samphire Photo by Wlater Pfeiffer; fish recipes; main course dish
Spicy salmon on samphire with saffron sauce
Chef
Intermed..
StarStarStarStarStar
SHARE &COMMENT

Introduction

Connemara native Máirín Uí Chomáin is a former chair of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, an active member of the Slow Food movement, and holds an honorary MA from NUI Galway in recognition of her commitment to home economics. www.irishcuisine.ie  This recipe is from her book Celebrating Irish Salmo

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Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets, 175 g each, with skin
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
  • Sunflower oil, for frying
  • 225 g / 8 oz rock samphire, washed
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 litres / 3½ pints water
  • SAUCE:
  • 150 ml fish stock
  • 100 ml white wine vinegar
  • 2–3 shallots, finely chopped (or chopped chives)
  • 4–5 strands saffron
  • 110 g cubed butter, chilled
  • 4 potatoes, cooked and cubed
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Method

  • 1. Toast or dry-fry the seeds and crush using a mortar and pestle.
  • 2. Coat the flesh part of the salmon with the crushed seeds. Cover and set aside in a cool place to allow flavours to be absorbed.
  • 3. Sauce:Soak the saffron threads in the fish stock and leave to infuse for about 20 minutes. Strain the stock and discard the threads. Place the saffron-flavoured fish stock, vinegar and shallots (or chives) in a saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by two-thirds (see p. 12).
  • 4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chilled butter cubes slowly to get a nice gloss. Keep sauce warm by sitting the saucepan in a bowl of hot water.
  • 5. Toss the cubed potatoes in a pan with sunflower oil and butter and fry until golden. Keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
  • 6. Fry the salmon in a little oil in a medium-hot pan, skin side down, until the skin is nicely crisp and golden, 3–4 minutes. Turn salmon fillets over and cook the flesh side for 2 minutes until salmon is firm to the touch.
  • 7. While salmon is frying, blanch the samphire in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, drain well and toss in olive oil.
  • 8. To serve, place salmon fillet on bed of samphire on a warm plate, drizzle with saffron sauce and arrange cubed potatoes on the side.
  • 9. Beverage suggestion Gewürztraminer, Sipp Mack, Alsace, France. With nuances of rose petal and grapefruit on the nose, plus spice to the finish, this classic wine has enough body and aroma to unite the samphire and spices perfectly

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