I really love atlantic salmon! It’s one of my all time favourite foods. Not only is it delicious, but it’s highly nutritious as well, offering a great source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids and a number of vitamins and minerals.
Cooking fish was not something that I used to do often and I always avoided it at meal times because I lacked confidence in knowing what to do with it. The thing about cooking and trying new foods is that sometimes you need to just get out of your comfort zone and give it a go. Don’t worry if it doesn’t work out, you just figured out how NOT to cook fish and you can try again another time!
In saying that, if you’re not feeling overly confident in giving salmon a go, can I assure you that it is soooo easy to get it right. I’m no chef, just you’re average wife and mum of two who just so happens to love food and nutrition. Most of my cooking skills has come from allowing myself to be creative through trial and error. Cook books and cooking shows have been great too!
The other thing I’d love to share with you through this recipe is the best oven baked potatoes that you’ve ever eaten! I know thats a big call, but I’m serious about this! They are good! I got the main techniques from Jamie Oliver, but found that I could keep the skin on (and thus keep all the fibre) and use a lot less oil and still get the same result. The secret is in making them fluffy and a hot, pre-heated oven. See the recipe below for more details! I hope you like them as much as I do!
Salmon and Asparagus with Crispy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 400 g salmon, fillet, fresh skin on
- 4 potato, medium skin on
- 2 tbsp oil, olive extra virgin
- 1 bunch asparagus, fresh woody ends removed
- 1 punnet tomato, cherry cut in half
- 2 clove garlic crushed
- salt, table to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 220º. Boil diced potato for 10 minutes or until slightly soft. Drain and toss for a minute or so in the colander until they look fluffy (this helps them go crispy in the oven).
- In a bowl, toss fluffy potatoes, 1tbsp of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Evenly spread them out on an oven tray lined with baking paper and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Place the salmon, skin side down and cook for about 4 minutes. Turn over and cook the other side for a further 4 minutes or until salmon is cooked to your liking. Remove from pan and allow to rest.
- Pre-heat the frying pan again over high heat. Add the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and tomatoes and toss in the olive oil and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve the salmon with a side of crispy potatoes and asparagus mixture. Enjoy!
