Crispy Skinned Salmon with Soy Dressing & Rustic Cherry Tart

Main: Crispy-skinned Salmon with Soy Dressing
Bills Food Pg. 79

Dessert: Rustic Cherry Tart
Bills Food Pg. 183

Hi there everyone,

Hope you have had a fantastic week and tried out some new recipes. The MAV is away this week at his annual golf challenge so it was an opportunity to have some yummy salmon (certainly not his favourite). I wanted to keep things simple so I took the recipe for the dressing from good old Bill but served it differently to the way he suggests.

I know the great chef’s say that salmon should be rare in the middle and many people like it that way – I don’t and nor does anyone else in my family so although in the recipe below it says to cook two minutes each side (approx) and to leave the centre of the salmon rare, I finished mine off in the oven, covered in foil for 10 minutes and it was my idea of perfect. I didn’t have the usual tribe of people this week. Everyone was busy so I just had my youngest son all to myself. It is a rare and wonderful thing to have one on one time with our adult children and I certainly cherish those moments. What better way to spend it than over a meal and a glass of wine. He loves this type of meal so I served it on a mash of potato, parsnip and cauliflower and then added zucchini spag. (How great is it that you can buy this ready made in the veg section of Woolies – just microwave for 2 mins). The sauce is simple and could be made the night before, making the entire meal very quick and achievable after a gruelling day at work. Looks impressive too. This little beauty got a 10/10

The rustic cherry tart was easy also but I would suggest making very close to eating as mine was a little tough due to the wait time but none the less scored 7/10. I served it with double cream. This would be great with any fruit in season and I will definitely try it with some stone fruits once they are fully available. The frangipane mixture could be done a day ahead and just bought out of the fridge 15 minutes before you’re ready to use it to allow it to soften a little. The key here is to use good quality puff pastry and not a no-name brand. (Don’t get me wrong, I love no-name brands, I just think you need a great butter pastry here). I loved this menu, it worked beautifully and I certainly didn’t feel as though I had been in the kitchen for hours on end. Please give it a try.

Food is a symbol of love when words are inadequate – Alan D. Walfelt

From my table to yours with love.

Crispy Salmon with Soy Dressing

4 salmon fillets
2 tbsp oil
sea salt
ground black pepper
2 springs onion (thinly sliced)
lime wedges to serve

Soy Dressing

2 tsp sesame oil
125 ml soy sauce
1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
60 ml lime juice
2 fresh red chillies chopped (optional)

The Salmon

Heat a frying pan over a high heat for 2 minutes. Brush the salmon fillets with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook the salmon with the skin side down for 2 mins. Then turn over and cook for another 2 mins. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 2 mins.

Soy Dressing

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Serve over the cooked salmon.

Rustic Cherry Tart

Frangipane

75 g unsalted butter (chopped)
90 g caster sugar
80 g ground almonds
2 egg yolks
½ tsp vanilla extract

The Tart Base

1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg yolk
300 g cherries, pitted and cut in halves
sugar for sprinkling
cream for serving

Frangipane

Mix the butter, sugar, ground almonds, egg yolks and vanilla extract in a food processor until combined. Refrigerate until chilled.

The Tart

Preheat the oven to 200°. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat. Lay the puff pastry on a piece of baking paper on another baking tray. Trim off the edges of pastry (this makes the edges rise evenly). Using the point of a sharp knife, and being carful not to cut right through, score a 1 cm (½ inch) border around the edge of the sheet of puff pastry, Prick the entire surface with a fork and brush with egg yolk. Spread the frangipane evenly over the pastry within the scored area. Place the cherries, with the cut side up, in a single layer on top of the frangipane. Place the tart on the hot tray and bake for 15 mins. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for another 5 to 10 mins, until the sides are golden and puffed. Serve with cream.

Crispy Skinned Salmon with Soy Dressing & Rustic Cherry Tart