The best baked salmon
Martha Collison's Scandinavian-inspired salmon is simple to make, can be served hot or chilled, and makes a beautiful centrepiece. The juniper and clementine create a perfume that drifts through the house and look so pretty. Serve with a dill sauce and pickled pressed cucumber (pressgurka).
- Serves6
- CourseMain meal
- Prepare25 mins
- Cook25 mins
- Total time50 mins
- Pluschilling
Ingredients
- Olive oil, for greasing and drizzling
- 1kg side Scottish salmon (from the fish counter)
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zest
- 1 clementine, scrubbed, zest
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp juniper berries
- ½ x 20g pack dill
For the dill sauce
- 150ml tub soured cream
- ½ tsp English mustard
- ½ x 20g pack dill, leaves chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ lemon, juice
For the pressgurka
- 1 midi cucumber
- 1 tsp table salt
- 60ml white wine vinegar
- 30g caster sugar
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
Method
Make the pressgurka first. Finely slice the cucumber into thin rounds and set aside. Layer into a large jar, sprinkling each piece with salt. Cover the cucumber with a piece of baking parchment, then place a weight on top (an unopened 400g can works well) and set aside for 20 minutes.
Combine the vinegar, 60ml water, the sugar and caraway seeds in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stir until the sugar dissolves, then allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour away any liquid from the cucumber, then tip the cucumber into a colander and, using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as possible (or tip onto a clean tea towel, wrap and press). Return the cucumber to the jar, pour the pickling liquid over, seal, then chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 1 week).
Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment or foil and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place the salmon onto the lined baking tray, skin-side down. Feel along the flesh and remove any bones.
Combine the lemon and clementine zests with the salt and black pepper in a small ramekin. Finely chop the juniper berries and dill leaves, then add to the mixture. Sprinkle over the salmon flesh, then rub in. Drizzle with a little oil, then roast for 20-25 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through, is opaque and flakes when pressed with a knife.
While the salmon is baking, combine all the dill sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the salmon, hot or cold, with the dill sauce and slices of pickled cucumber. Delicious with rye bread, hot buttered new potatoes or both.
Cook’s tip
Christmas Eve can be hectic and chaotic, so this recipe is perfect – it can be served hot or cold, so you can prepare it ahead. To serve cold, allow the fish to cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for up to 2 days.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 1,412kJ/ 338kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 20g |
Saturated Fat | 5.2g |
Carbohydrates | 7.3g |
Sugars | 6.3g |
Fibre | 1g |
Protein | 32g |
Salt | 2.3g |