Whole baked salmon with an asian salad

Undo the foil and serve in good company!

30mins

40mins

6-8 serves

Ingredients

1 whole salmon, approximately 2–3 kg
3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
1 lime, sliced
1 bunch coriander
8 peppercorns
⅓ cup white wine
3 tablespoons tamarind puree
1 tablespoon finely grated palm sugar
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 large red chillies, seeded and finely sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 heaped tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 red capsicum, julienned
1 yellow capsicum julienned
100g snow peas, finely sliced
½ cup fresh mint leaves
3 limes, quartered

METHODS

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 40 mins plus 30 mins resting | Serves 6–8

Preheat oven 180°C.

Remove fish from the refrigerator half an hour before baking. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.

Put a length of wide heavy duty foil onto a large flat baking tray ensuring that the foil is at least twice as long as the fish. Brush the foil with oil. Put the salmon onto the foil. Fill the cavity of the fish with the spring onions, sliced lime, a handful of coriander leaves and the peppercorns. Start to bring the foil up around the fish and then pour over the white wine. Wrap the fish in the foil, carefully crimping the edges of the foil together so as to seal the foil.

Put the fish into the oven and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until nearly cooked. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar with a wooden spoon and leave the fish in the oven for a further 30 minutes. Do not open the foil.

Meanwhile make the tamarind dressing.

Put the tamarind puree into a bowl with 150ml of water and stir to combine. Add the palm sugar, ground cumin, chilli, soy sauce, ginger and a tablespoon of finely chopped coriander leaves.

Put the julienned vegetables and mint into a bowl and toss to combine.

TO SERVE

Undo the foil and transfer the salmon to a serving dish. Peel away the skin from the top of the fish, and spoon over the tamarind dressing. Arrange the salad and lime quarters around the fish.