Roasted Salmon tacos Baja med style with fragrant cucumber salsa

Baja–med is a delicious fusion of Mexican & Mediterranean cookery. These tacos are fresh, colourful & abundant like the region. Cooking the salmon in 2 pieces is a simple technique to ensure even cooking cooked medium rare the fish will remain, moist & luscious. The roasted jalapeño & tamarind chilli mole application can be as a glaze for the crispy skin or as a condiment simply roll up these vibrant tacos & dip in to the spicy sweet & sour sauce.
Roasted Salmon tacos Baja med style with fragrant cucumber salsa

Ingredients and Methods

Pauls Tip – Try these tacos with hot smoked salmon or for a vegetarian alternative add some pre cooked slices of artichokes to the vegetable mixture

Ingredients

  • Some Roasted jalapeño & tamarind chilli mole (optional)
  • 50ml Olive Oil
  • 400g Fillet of pin boned Atlantic salmon fillet skin on (cut into 2 pieces separating the belly from the loin)
  • Some Sea salt flakes
  • 2 Cloves finely sliced garlic cloves
  • ½ a small dried chipotle finely sliced
  • 1 large salad onion peeled & sliced
  • 1 yellow bullhorn pepper sliced into rounds
  • 200g Mixed red & yellow grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 75g Kalamata olives cut either side of the stone
  • 75ml Sherry vinegar
  • 1 orange squeezed
  • 75ml Agave
  • 1 bunch basil leaves shredded

Fragrant cucumbers

  • 2 peeled Lebanese cucumber finely diced
  • ½ bunch of chopped dill
  • ½ teaspoons toasted caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon of sugar & salt
  • 2 Limes, Juiced
  • 50ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 Nixtamal tortillas

Instructions

1) Prepare the chilli mole Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees. Heat a wide non stick pan with olive oil, Season the 2 pieces of salmon with salt place the salmon carefully skin side down, as it hits the hot pan press the salmon piece down with your hand for 2 mins to ensure the portion cooks flat, do not turnover cook for a further 1 mins then place in the oven skin side down for 2 mins. Remove from the oven allow to cool on a cake rack.

2) Using the same pan heat with a splash of olive oil add the garlic, onions, chipotle, peppers, tomatoes, olives, season & cook together for 5 mins till all the vegetables are collapsed & caramelised now add the vinegar, orange juice and reduce till nearly a dry pan add agave reduce to a syrup coating.

3) Place into a small bowl allow to cool add basil & check seasoning

4) Prepare the salsa by combining all the ingredients

5) Re heat your tortillas by searing quickly in a hot dry pan then place into taco holder or warm oven covered with a damp cloth

6) To serve using a sharp knifed cut the salmon loin & belly into 2 cm thick slices

7) Arrange 2 tortillas on each plate spoon a little salsa on each tortilla top with the vegetable salad arrange a slice of salmon loin & belly pieces on top and spoon the salsa over & serve with more tama ring chilli mole on the side for dipping

Chef Paul Wilson

Credited with serving some of Australia’s most exciting food, Paul Wilson has been described as one of the most extraordinary culinary talents in the Commonwealth & continues to receive critical acclaim for crafting inspiring dishes that take an innovative approach to cuisine traditions. (more)

here to view all of Chef Paul Wilson’s recipes.

Paul Wilson

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