Seared Canadian Salmon with sauce vierge

I love salmon, its my favorite fish as long as its raw or seared otherwise it gets too dry. It is high in protein and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This fish is loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which is great for your heart, memory, skin and hair, it even protects you from sunburn.

This is a favorite summer dish which can be served as the main course at a dinner party or without the potato for a light lunch.

I used Pesto Princess's red pesto to flavour the potato which to all of us who went to the Blogger Indaba last week received in our abundant goodie bags http://www.pesto.co.za/.

This recipe is wheat and dairy free.

Seared Canadian Salmon, Red Pesto Crushed Potato and Zucchini Spaghetti

Serves 2

Red Pesto Crushed Potato

10 Baby potatoes, peeled

50ml extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1 tbsp Pesto princess red pesto ( you may use basil pesto, sundried tomato pesto or a red pepper pesto)

10ml lemon juice

Boil the baby potatoes until tender and cooked through.

Pour in the extra virgin olive oil, pesto, lemon juice and season.

Using a fork, crush the potatoes until roughly broken up, check seasoning and keep warm in the pot.

Zucchini Spaghetti

4 Zucchini / baby marrow

½ clove garlic

15ml Olive oil

salt and pepper

Julienne the zucchini (cut into long thin strips)

Heat the pan with the oil. Add the whole piece of garlic to the oil and cook until golden.

Remove the garlic from the pan and stir fry the zucchini.

Season.

Sauce Vierge

1 Large tomato

1 very mild chilli

20ml extra virgin olive oil

juice of ¼ lemon

salt and pepper

Blanch, peel and cut the tomato into small dice. Cut the chilli in half and remove the pips, cut it into thin julienne strips.

Mix all ingredients together, season and allow to stand for flavours to develop.

Assemble

2 portions (180 – 200g ea) Canadian Salmon / Norwegian Salmon / Alaskan

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Juice of ¼ lemon

Watercress to garnish

Heat the oil in a pan. Season the fish and sear for 1 – 2 minutes per side depending on thickness.

Place a mound of crushed potatoes on the plate. Top this with the spaghetti and finally the Salmon. Dress the dish with the sauce vierge and garnish with watercress and a lemon wedge.

Notes

This dish is great for dinner or remove the potato and replace with loads of watercress for a light lunch.

Picture and recipe Copyright by Tamsyn Wells.