I first made this dish with my beautiful friend Rachel in Auckland and have spent the last month thinking about it because it was just so delicious. The fresh salad and herb crusted salmon is just the most amazing combination. I’ve used fresh bread crumbs n the salmon crust but you could easily swap for almonds to make it gluten free!

The easiest way to make a shaved salad is in a food processor with the fine slice attachment or with a mandolin. However, for the asparagus I find it’s easier to do it with a knife. You want everything nice and fine so the lemon juice softens the fennel. If you don’t have enough lemon juice sub some with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

The bright green herb and bread crumb crust on the salmon is stuck on with dijon mustard (we used beetroot relish the first time – also yum!) and this adds the perfect amount of peppery spice to contrast with the other flavours. it’s important to really press it on so it stays together as it cooks. You want to cook this until it’s just starting to get golden so you get the contrast of textures between the fresh salad, just cooked salmon and crunchy topping.

This could make a perfect Christmas main if you just have a few of you and are from my part of the world where serving salads and seafood is a big part of our seasonal treats! I can’t wait to share a few different Christmas menus with you over the next few weeks, if you’re doing this recipe for more people just double or triple it as needed.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed

1 cup broad beans

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup spring onion

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tsps lemon zest

2 tsps finely chopped capers

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

2 Tbs pine nuts

Salmon

2 x 150g fillets salmon

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parsley

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup spring onion

2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add a pinch of salt and then the broad beans. Cook for 3 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of iced water. Bring the water back to the boil and add the asparagus. Simmer for 30 seconds and remove, place in ice cold water

Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to finely slice the asparagus length ways so that you have ribbons of asparagus.

Finely slice the fennel using a food processor, mandolin or knife and finely chop the fronds. Reserve 1/2 of these for the salmon topping.

Squueze the broad beans from their skins, discarding the skins and keeping the bright green beans. Add these to a bowl along with the asparagus, fennel, 1/2 the fennel fronds, spring onion and parsley leaves.

Add the olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, zest, parmesan and capers and toss the salad to combine, season to taste. Add the pine nuts and toss to combine.

Salmon: In a small food processor whizz up the breadcrumbs, remaining fennel fronds, lemon zest, spring onion and parsley. Add the olive oil. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Place the salmon skin side down in a baking dish (can line for easier clean up). Spread a thin layer of dijon over the flesh side of the salmon. Top the salmon fillets with the almond and herb mix patting down firmly so there is an even layer stuck on. Bake for 7 minutes.

Serve the golden salmon with the shaved asparagus, fennel and broad bean salad piled high on the side.

HH. x