D

pending on how well you know me or how avidly you follow my instagram, you may or may not know that I’m currently training to be a sports masseuse. I’ll spare you the details, but it involves me having to practice on about 30 willing clients for free before qualifying. (Please get in touch is you’re a commute from Brixton and would like one!)

So this evening after work was massage night. On these evenings, real work to homework, I need a quick healthy dinner and salmon always comes to mind. I picked up a few pieces and used up the fridge remains on this occasion. I wanted crunch, flavour and spice. This salsa-come-salad is a combination of some of my favourite tastes with some added croutons for crunch amongst the soft textures. That and croutons always make any meal better. A bit like butter…

C

oating the salmon adds a really nice change to marinading or doing whatever it is you usually do with salmon. My pet hate (besides “English bolognese”) is the length of time people cook salmon! Dry, dry, dry! In a hot 220 oven it needs only 7 minutes at most for the supermarket vat-pack sized pieces. Soft in the middle and just cooked. If you pan fry it first to crisp the skin, knock another minute off in the oven as I do here. Tip. If you see that white creamy looking juice coming from the salmon…it’s already overcooked. Sorry. 

P.S. Don’t let this put you off cooking salmon for me if i’m ever over for dinner. Just cook it right…;-)

Serves 2

*Measurements done on judgement. Use more of less of each as desired.

• 2 salmon fillets
• Sesame seeds (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 packet cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 180g sweetcorn 
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped finely
• 4 spring onions, chopped finely
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• Leftover stale bread, chopped OR 2 slices bread, cubed 
• Sunflower oil (for frying) & Extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
• Yoghurt to serve

1. Start by preparing the salmon and preheating the oven 220. Place the soy sauce and honey in a bowl and mix. Add the salmon to coat.
2. Scatter the sesame seeds on a place in an even layer. Take the salmon from the soy and place flesh side down on the sesame seeds. Turn to coat the fleshy edges. Don’t coat the skin. Repeat on the other salmon and set aside.
3. Cube the bread and put it in a baking tray. Season well and drizzle with some sunflower/rapeseed oil. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden and crispy and oily! Remove and set aside.
4. Make the salsa by combining the tomatoes, avocado, corn, coriander, spring onion and chilli. Grate in the zest of the lime and squeeze in the juice. Add a tsp of extra virgin oil. Season well.
5. When ready to cook the salmon, heat a non-stick frying pan to a high heat. Sear the salmon skin side down for about 30 seconds. Flip and sear the sesame fleshy side and the edges for only 20 seconds or so to seal and turn the seeds golden. Place on a baking tray lined with some oiled oil and bake in the oven for 6-7 minutes.
6. While these are cooking, add the croutons to the salsa and mix well. By the time you serve some will have absorbed the tasty juices and some will be crunchy and delicious.
7. Serve the salmon with a spoonful of salsa, a wedge of lime and some fresh yoghurt.

Ta-da.

If anyone would truly like a free massage (free depending on if you read this in September 2019…in which case I will be charging) then please get in touch on my contact page.