Charred Salmon With Fennel Olive Salad Food

CRISP GRILLED SALMON WITH FENNEL-OLIVE RELISH

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium; brush grates with vegetable oil. Drizzle both sides of salmon with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on grill, skin-side down, and cover. Grill, without moving fish, until just opaque in center and skin is crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, transfer fish to a platter. Drizzle lemon rounds with olive oil; grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to platter; sprinkle with fennel fronds. Serve, with relish.

GRILLED SALMON SALAD WITH LIME, CHILES AND HERBS

Steps:

• Light the grill for indirect heat, or heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• As the grill or oven heat up, make the dressing: Halve 1 lime, and squeeze its juice into a small bowl. Add the chile slices, half of the sliced shallot (save the rest for serving), the fish sauce and a pinch each salt and sugar. Let sit for 1 minute to dissolve the salt, then whisk in the olive oil. It won't emulsify, so mix again before using.
• Brush the salmon with oil, and place it in a grilling basket if you have one. Cook over the indirect (unlit) side of the grill, for 2 to 5 minutes per side, depending on how hot the grill is and how thick the salmon is. Note that individual fillets will cook faster than a single large piece. Check the salmon often. (Alternatively, roast the salmon on a baking sheet in the oven, until just cooked to taste, 7 to 12 minutes; you don't have to flip it.)
• As the salmon cooks, halve the other lime. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and grill, cut-side down, over direct heat until charred, about 1 minute. If using the oven, throw the halves, cut-side up, on the roasting pan with the salmon. They won't char, but they will cook and mellow in flavor, which is the aim.
• When the salmon is cooked, transfer it to a plate and spoon some dressing over it. Let it cool slightly, then break up the fish into large chunks.
• Place greens, remaining shallots, herbs, and radishes or cucumber, if using, in a large shallow bowl or on a platter, and add a little more of the dressing. Squeeze some of the juice from a charred lime half over it and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss and taste, adding lime juice, olive oil or salt as needed.
• Top with the salmon chunks and drizzle with more (or all) of the dressing. Serve with the remaining charred lime half on the side for squeezing.

CHARRED SALMON WITH FENNEL & OLIVE SALAD

Steps:

• If you are lucky enough to get a fennel bulb with fronds, pick them off and keep them. Trim the fennel; then, using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, slice it as thinly as possible. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and have a bowl of iced water ready. Tip the fennel into the pan, leave for 30 secs, then lift into the iced water with a slotted spoon.
• Roughly chop the tomatoes. Put a sieve over a large bowl and squeeze the seeds and juice from the tomatoes with your hands. Get rid of the seeds but keep the juices ready to make the dressing. Add the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and a good pinch of salt to the tomato juices and stir well. Drain the fennel well and add to the bowl along with the olives, capers and the tomato flesh. Mix well, then set aside.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the salmon into 4 fillets, rub well with the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a griddle or frying pan with an ovenproof handle, then cook the salmon, skin-side down, over a medium heat for 7 mins. There may be some smoke, but what is important is that the salmon is well charred so it has a bitter, crisp bottom and the flesh is sweet, soft and almost translucent inside. Now pop the salmon into the oven, still skin-side down in the pan, then roast for 3 mins until just cooked through.
• Roughly chop the parsley and mix through the salad. Serve the salad on plates, then carefully lift the salmon from the pan and sit it on top, skin-side up. Drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil and tuck in.

SALMON W/ FENNEL, ORANGE, AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• In a heavy pot, over medium low, get 1 tablespoon of oil warm. Add onion and fennel and sweat until soft, tender and sweet. Add rosemary leaves, cover and reduce to low.
• Get a grill really hot and oil it. Massage salmon with 1 tablespoon of oil and salt and pepper. Grill salmon, skin side down for a few minutes, then flip. Cook until medium rare and remove to a plate.
• Remove the skin and white from orange, and cut into wedges, toss with fennel.
• Serve skin side up on a bed of fennel and orange.

SPANISH CHARRED FENNEL, ORANGE AND OLIVE SALAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Trim the feathery green fronds form the fennel and reserve for the garnish.
• Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut each fennel bulb into 4 or 6 wedges, depending on the size.
• Place into a well-oiled baking tin or tian - and drizzle over 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Roast them for about 40-45 minutes or until tender, caramelised and charred on the edges. (Turn them once or twice during cooking.).
• Allow them to cool.
• Peel and slice the oranges into segments, making sure there is no membrane or pith on them. Add the finely sliced red onion and olives to the orange segments.
• Whisk the remaining oil with the orange juice and season well.
• Add half of the chopped mint leaves to the vinaigrette, mix well.
• Pour half the dressing over the orange mixture and gently mix.
• When you wish to assemble the salad, build up the salad by layering the orange mixture and roast fennel bulbs in alternate layers.
• Drizzle with the remaining dressing and scatter the remaining chopped mint over the top.
• Finely chop the reserved fennel fronds and scatter them over the top, as the final flourish!
• Great served with barbequed poultry or meats, especially Duck or Lamb.