Spring Salmon

As spring careers into summer, and the slow cooker edges back into the cupboard, I’m starting to think about summer recipes and salads – especially at the end of long hot days in the garden.  Being the organised type, I’m also starting to think about this year’s Christmas Day menu… and this recipe is a definite contender.

This recipe can expand or contract to fit the number of people needing to eat.  You could poach one slice of salmon and have a lovely meal for one, or any number from there.

Baked Salmon with Grape and Hazelnut Salad

Serves 8

1 side salmon – around 1-1½ kg

3-4 tbsp Mandy’s horseradish

You can buy your salmon with the pin bones removed, or pay a little less and remove them yourself.  A pair of needle-nosed pliers is handy for removing them, or you can invite Laughykate around for dinner – she’s a dab hand at removing pin bones!

Line a baking tray with foil and place the salmon on top. Add a slosh of wine, a squeeze of lemon, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until just cooked through.  As the salmon will be covered with the salad when served, you can test with a sharp knife in the thickest part of the salmon.  For this recipe you want it cooked through, but only just – and it will keep cooking after it’s out of the oven, so take it out when still slightly underdone.  Cool and refrigerate.

Grape and hazelnut salad

70-100g fresh hazelnuts, roasted, skinned and roughly chopped (one's mother is very good at the skinning bit, thankfully)
200g seedless green grapes, cut in quarters
1 red chilli, thinly sliced  (optional)
2-3 tbsp baby capers
¼ C each flat-leaf parsley and mint, roughly chopped (feel free to add dill or sorrel)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

This salad is a fantasic combination of flavours and textures.  It would happily accompany other fish dishes or barbequed chicken. Combine the hazelnuts, grapes, chilli and capers.  Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and add the herbs.  Toss the herbed dressing through the salad and allow to sit for up to an hour to let the flavours develop (ok, to climb into a nice glass of chilled rosé or a pre-lunch bubbly).

To assemble

Take the salmon out of the fridge about 1 hour before serving, to allow to come up to room temperature.  Gently slide the salmon onto a serving dish and mop up any extra juices.

Just before serving, cover the salmon with a layer of Mandy’s horseradish sauce.  If you don’t live in New Zealand, you may not have access to this delicious condiment.  You could try to recreate it by combining freshly grated horseradish with a thick (not pouring consistency) mayonnaise.  Alternatively you could use crème fraiche, with some garlic and lemon zest.  The main thing is to have a creamy layer between the salmon and the salad.

Toss the salad and spoon over the salmon, making sure all the juices go with the salad.  Serve with a salad and new potatoes or fresh bread.

I haven’t made it this year, but here’s how it looked for Christmas lunch last year (although I think I served the Mandy's horseradish on the side – can't see it in the picture).

 

Spring Risotto

I somehow managed to get through the first 28-odd years of my life without approaching a risotto pan.  My friend, the best MC, was appalled at this state of affairs, and promptly set about instructing me on the wonderful chemistry of olive oil, onion, wine, rice, stock and parmesan cheese – and all the infinite variants that go with them.  I've spent a fair few evenings since then practicing my risotto technique – nicely assisted by the rule of "one spoonful of stock for the risotto, one sip of wine for the cook".

Last weekend we had the Hunter-Gatherers joining us for dinner, and a risotto seemed like the perfect way to spend time in the kitchen together.

Chicken and Asparagus Risotto

Serves 4

4 chicken thighs, roughly chopped into chunks

1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
olive oil
25g butter
1 cup arborio rice
½-1 cup white wine
1 litre chicken stock (or more)
1 bunch thin-medium asparagus, chopped into inch-long lengths
½ capiscum, diced
juice of 1 lemon
handful or two of freshly grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly brown the chicken in a little olive oil while you bring the chicken stock to the boil.  Once boiled, turn the stock down to simmer.  When the chicken is browned, remove from the pan and drain off any excess fat. 

 

Add the butter and gently saute the onion until soft and translucent, but not browned.  Add the garlic and saute until the smell hits you.  Add the rice and saute gently for 2-3 minutes, taking care that the rice doesn't stick or brown.  Add some more olive oil if you need it.  When the rice is glossy and warmed through, pour in enough wine to reach the top of the rice and allow to bubble vigorously.

Now it's time for the slow dance of adding stock, stirring and sipping.  At this point, you need to adjust the heat to keep a bubbling simmer that will keep the rice absorbing the stock, without being so vigorous that the stock evaporates away without a chance to absorb into the rice.  Too slow and you'll have taken in far too much wine...

Add about ½ a cup of stock at a time, or enough to just cover the rice, stir, and allow to absorb until the top layer of rice is clear of stock.  Stir, and if the stock is mostly absorbed, add the next ladle – you don't want the risotto to dry out at any stage.  This stage can take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes, depending on quantities and the attention span of this cook.

When the rice is nearly done, it will still have some "bite", but not be chalky.  Add the asparagus, capsicum, chicken and lemon (and possibly another ladle of stock as the risotto will keep absorbing liquid and I like my risotto to be quite creamy rather than solid).  As soon as the asparagus hits bright green, stir through the parmesan, and plenty of freshly ground pepper.  I usually find that it doesn't need salt.

Serve immediately in warm bowls with a wedge of lemon, a sprinkle of parmesan, a spoonful of pesto and a green salad.

 

Gratuitous photo of happy cat on Mrs H-G's knee...