Alex Mackays Salmon or Halibut with Tomatoes, Olives, Beans and Lemon
This salmon is fresh, light and delightful. Braising beats poaching and steaming as my favourite light method of cooking fish; no flavour is lost, the juices mingle and the fish is exquisite.
You can vary this with any other type of fish, you can also swap the runner beans for any other sort of bean and replace the cannellini beans with lentils or chickpeas.
The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to prepare garlic in our video. Just click the image to play.
From Delia’s Food and Wine Workshops, recipe by Alex Mackay Serves 4
- method
- Ingredients
Method
1. Pre-Heat your oven to 200c/Gas 6 / Rack position upper middle shelf / boil your kettle
2. Get a large, shallow, ovenproof pan. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic and water. Put the lid on, sweat over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the tinned tomatoes, tinned beans and their liquid. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat.
3. Add the peppers and baby plum tomatoes. Bring back to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the artichokes.
4. Brush each salmon filet with half a tablespoon of olive oil. Season the filets on both sides with salt and a tiny amount of cayenne pepper. Put them at even intervals on top of the vegetables.
5. Braise in your pre-heated oven for 6 minutes. Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly ajar. Leave to rest for 4 minutes or until you are ready with the runner beans.
6. While the salmon braises, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. (or use a steamer) Put a colander in your sink. Boil or steam the runner beans for 3-5 minutes or until they are tender. Drain.
7. Once the salmon is braised, transfer it to a large plate with a fish slice. Gently fold the runner beans, olives and basil into the tomato and bean mixture. Season to taste. Spoon the sauce and vegetables into deep plates. Put the salmon on top.
Microplane a little lemon zest over each dish.