Winter 2023

HOME
grated
1½tbsp lemon zest
½tsp salt
FOR THE TOPPING
140g (5oz) dried cranberries
250ml orange juice
120g (4oz) toasted almonds
– leave out for any guests
with nut allergies
1⁄₃-cup coriander roughly
chopped
1tbs extra virgin olive oil
Let’s Cook
Christmas
Salmon
This is a delicious Christmas
alternative to the usual meat and
poultry dishes. It looks particularly
festive with its rich assortment
of colourful toppings including
cranberries, almonds and
coriander. A quick and easy recipe,
it can be served warm or cold
for a Christmas supper or Boxing
Day lunch. The salmon is cooked
with a honey butter glaze, which
keeps in the moisture, and then
topped when cool with a creamy
dill sauce. Once prepared it can be
kept in the fridge until needed.
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 6–8 PEOPLE
1.2–1.5kg (2½–3lb) side of
salmon – leave the skin on to
hold the fish together – check for
bones
2tsp salt – sea salt crystals
are best, use table salt more
sparingly
1tsp black pepper
FOR THE HONEY BUTTER GLAZE
150g (5oz) unsalted butter
150g (5oz) honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
FOR THE DILL SAUCE
300g (300ml) sour cream full fat
½-cup of fresh dill finely chopped
½ shallot or small onion finely
METHOD
1 To make the dill sauce,
put all the ingredients into a
bowl and mix until smooth.
Leave it to chill in the fridge.
2 For the topping, heat the
orange juice in a saucepan
until hot then remove
from the heat and add
the cranberries. Cover
the saucepan and leave
it to stand for 15 mins.
Then drain the berries in
a colander, discarding the
liquid, and leave them to
cool.
Toast the almonds lightly
on a preheated baking
tray under the grill or in a
dry frying pan for about 2
mins, watching carefully
to prevent burning.
Then mix the orange juice-soaked
cranberries, almonds, coriander
and olive oil in a large bowl – keep
at room temperature.
3 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/
Gas 4. Place a large double layered
piece of foil onto a baking tray
and then top with a sheet of
baking parchment. Carefully lay
the salmon on the paper and then
fold up the edges of the foil to
make a saucer to stop the glaze
running into the tray.
4 To make the honey butter glaze,
heat all three ingredients in a
saucepan over high heat until the
mixture foams, then turn down
to medium and continue to let it
foam for 2 mins. Then take it off
the heat and pour straight over
the salmon.
5 Season the salmon with salt and
pepper.
6 Cover the salmon with a piece
of baking parchment and then
another sheet of foil. Fold up the
sides to lightly seal the salmon in
a parcel. Place in the preheated
oven and bake for 15 mins. Then
remove the top layers of foil and
paper and push the bottom layers
down under the salmon so they
don’t burn. Place in the middle of
the hot oven for approximately
8 mins until the glaze starts to
caramelise. Finally, remove from
the oven and gently prise open
the centre of the fish to check
the salmon is cooked – the flesh
should firm not ‘glassy’. When
it’s cooked, transfer the salmon
quickly using the foil edges
straight on to a serving dish to
prevent
further cooking. You can then
carefully tear the foil and paper in
the centre at the top and bottom
and then pull the sides of the
paper and foil apart. It will tear
down the middle sliding out from
under the salmon on both sides.
The lovely golden juices will then
drip down around the fish forming
a base glaze.
7 Lightly cover with foil and leave
to cool for up to 1 hour.
8 To serve, cover the salmon with
the creamy dill sauce and then
spread over the toppings to give a
festive Christmas appearance. You
can add pomegranate seeds and
more coriander for greenery if you
wish. A squeeze of lemon juice on
the top adds extra zest. Serve with
extra lemon wedges on the side.
The Cake • Winter 2023 33