Summer in New York is really kicking in and that means hot, humid and not the time of year for meals involving long cooking times, where the cook ends up looking like he or she came out of the oven along with the roast. We're moving more towards salads and stove-top food now, so that we spend as little time as possible in the culinary sauna. This is a simple salmon dish which combines fresh, bright, basic flavours to good effect. It also manages to give the impression of being light and healthy whilst actually containing enough cream and carbs to delight Atkins-unfriendly people like us. Credit for the recipe goes to Gary Rhodes, the spiky-headed likely lad from London. Like many UK TV chefs his manner can be more than a little irksome (Hello Ainsley! Hi Jamie!) but this dish made me forgive him.
For four you will need:
About a pound of new potatoes
2.5 tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
4 6oz slices of salmon fillet
1 tbsp seasoned flour
1 oz softened butter
5 oz soured cream
Salt and pepper
For the dressing:
1 oz pine nuts
Olive oil
1 bunch watercress
1/2 bunch (each) of chervil, tarragon, coriander (cilantro), basil, parsley (preferably, but not essentially, flat leaf)
Salt and pepper
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Bunch? What the hell is that? How much is a bunch?" Well, I'd say it's that quantity of leafy material which can be loosely balled into a lump about the size of a grapefruit. This is not an exact science, dammit. Also, the herbs used can be varied according to taste and availability, although personally I'd say the watercress, basil and parsley are essential.
Put the pine nuts into a small pan, cover with the oil and heat gently for five minutes until golden brown. Let it cool. Blend smooth in the processor. Add the herbs and blend to a paste. Add a little more olive oil and blend to a thick puree. Salt and pepper to taste. Stick it in a bowl and put it in the fridge.
Potatoes
Boil them unpeeled. Drain, return to the pan and mash coarsely with a fork. Salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the lemon juice. Mix. Set aside and keep warm.
Fish
Descale and remove any bones if necessary. Sprinkle the skin side with flour and brush with softened butter. Add a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Put 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in your frying pan and get it a little more than medium hot. Fry the fish skin side down for 2-3 minutes until the skin is crispy. Turn and fry for a further 2 minutes. If you need to get the skin even crisper finish under a hot grill, but I generally find this isn't necessary if your pan is hot enough. It's important not to overcook the fish. It should still be moist and maybe even a bit translucent in the middle, although that's up to you, of course.
To serve
Stir the soured cream into the potatoes a tablespoonful at a time until soft and creamy. Don't overmix; we still want a bit of coarseness in the consistency. Place about a tablespoonful of herb dressing on each plate, then a layer of potato and then the fish - skin side up, unlike in the picture. I forgot about that bit!
That's it. As you can see, we served it with green beans, which works well, as does a simple leafy salad.
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