Roast Salmon Fillets with Salsa Verde, Potato and Rocket Salad and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Roast Salmon Fillets with Salsa Verde, Potato and Rocket Salad and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 x 1kg salmon fillets, skin on, cut from two sides of the same fish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Potato and Rocket salad
1.2kg kipfler potatoes, scrubbed
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (20ml) red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
300g rocket leaves
1 red onion, finely sliced

Salsa Verde
1 clove garlic
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons (40ml) lemon juice
2/3 cup (160ml) olive oil

Heirloom Tomato Salad
800g mixed heirloom tomatoes
½ bunch mint, leaves removed
½ bunch basil, leaves removed
¼ (60ml) olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
2. For the potato and rocket salad, place potatoes in a large baking dish, drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden.  Whisk remaining ¼ cup olive oil with red wine vinegar and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place rocket in a serving bowl, top with onion and cooled potatoes. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.
3. For Salsa Verde, blend or process garlic, parsley, basil, capers, lemon juice until finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup olive oil and process to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and divide in half – half will be spread between the salmon fillets and the remaining half served as a sauce with the cooked salmon.
4. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place eight x 30 cm lengths of cooking string vertically on top.  This makes tying the filled salmon sides together much easier.
5. Remove any bones from salmon fillets with tweezers. Place one salmon fillet, skin-side down, on prepared baking tray and spread with one half of the Salsa Verde. Top with remaining fillet, skin-side up. Tie with string at 5 cm intervals and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes for medium rare or for a further 5 to 10 minutes for well done.
6. For heirloom tomato salad, slice tomatoes into bite sized pieces or leave whole if small. Place in a serving bowl, scatter with torn mint and basil leaves, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Add the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil to the reserved one half of Salsa Verde and mix well.
8. Serve the salmon, sliced crossways, with the Salsa Verde, potato and rocket salad and heirloom tomato salad.

Lyndey’s Note: Having your fishmonger fillet the whole salmon for you makes this recipe quicker and easier to cook and serve, rather than cooking the whole fish. It is essential you use two sides of the same fish so they match up when tied together.