RECIPES

A page for you to find new recipes and share your favourites - and ones you've made up yourself!

Image:

Crispy-skinned salmon with pesto mash and ratatouille

Image: Not picture of my dish!

Thought I'd get the ball rolling. I actually made this one up!
You'll need (for 4 people):

4 x salmon fillets
8 x maris piper potatoes
1 x jar of pesto (or make your own - see below)
2 x tin of good chopped tomatoes
6 x mushrooms
1 x red pepper
1 x green pepper
1 x yellow pepper
1 x courgette
1 x aubergine
1 x knob of good butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. First, peel and chop your potatoes and put them into salted boiling water. Make sure they're not too small pieces or they'll take on too much water and won't mash very well.
2. Whilst the potatoes are boiling, chop all your vegetables for your ratatouiile. I like to chop mine into 1cm cubes. Slice the mushrooms about 1cm thick too.
3. Put 1 tbs olive oil into a good saucepan (or deep frying pan) and gentle fry the mushrooms. While they are frying, season with salt and pepper. Add your chopped peppers. When they have softened, add the chopped tomatoes and the vegetables. Leave to simmer gently. Season generously and remember to stir regularly.
4. Check to see if your potatoes are nearly cooked. If they are, put sea salt on the skin side of your fish. In a good frying pan, heat a table spoon of olive oil on a MEDIUM heat. You don't want it too hot. Place fish SKIN-SIDE DOWN into the pan and leave for 5 minutes. Don't touch it! Season flesh side well with salt and pepper.
5. While the salmon is cooking, drain your potatoes and mash with good butter, milk and salt and pepper. Stir at least 1 tablespoon of pesto (more if you like)and put lid on saucepan to keep warm.
6. After 5 minutes are up, turn salmon fillet over to cook the flesh side. The skin should be quite dark and have a wafer-like crispness to it. Put in the knob of goosd butter and leave to cook for further 5 minutes or until you're happy that is cooked through and to your liking. Some people like salmon more well-done than others.
7. When salmon is cooked, leave to rest on a dish under some foil for 2-3 minutes and then plate the dish. You can be a bit 'cheffy' if you like and make a 'build' - ratatouille first, then mash, then fish on top. I prefer to place them on the plate seperately. It's up to you.

Please let me know if you try this dish and what you think. Also feel free to let me know of any mistakes I've made or any improvements you could make. It's what this page is here for!