Farmed salmon is particularly good during Spring. Ask you fishmonger to scale & pin bone your fillets. Cook solely on the skin until medium rare.
Ingredients and Methods
Serves 4
4 by 175 gram Atlantic Salmon pin boned
1L (4 cups) chicken stock
200g (1 cup) French-style Green lentils*
2 sprigs marjoram
1.5kg podded broad beans,
200g fresh podded peas
(450g unpodded) Sliced stems from 2 bunches of raw asparagus
100g diced pancetta*
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 long green chilli, seeded, finely chopped
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 tbs caster sugar
2 tbs Forvm Cabernet Vinegar* or other aged red wine vinegar
60ml (1/4 cup) Pedro Ximénez sherry* or other sweet sherry
2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs oregano leaves
Cooked tips from 2 bunches of asparagus
1/3 cup small round-leaf mint leaves
1. Place 750ml (3 cups) stock and 250ml (1 cup) water in a large sauce pan and bring to the boil. Add lentils and marjoram, and cook over low - medium heat for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain, discarding marjoram.
2. Heat a little olive oil, fry the pancetta, garlic & chilli, add the chopped onions & sliced asparagus stems.
Stir in sugar and vinegar, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until liquid is slightly reduced.
Stir in sherry, remaining 250ml (1 cup) stock, lentils, beans and peas, and simmer for 10 minutes or until mixture is heated through, and beans and peas are tender.
3. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil, lightly season the salmon fillets then place skin side down into the hot pan, allow to colour then place into a pre heated oven at 180 degrees for 4 minutes.
To finish the lentils stir in the parsley, oregano and three-quarters of the mint. Remove the salmon turn over and drain on a paper towel.
6 To serve
Spoon lentil mixture among bowls. Place a piece of salmon in the centre and top with a few tips of Asparagus & remaining mint leaves.
NB
French-style lentils are available from supermarkets or food stores
Pancetta is a Italian cured pork belly from good deli's
Forvm Cabernet Vinegar is mellow, aged Spanish red wine vinegar from specialist food stores. Pedro Ximenez is a dark, sweet syrupy sherry, available from bottle shops.
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)
