The Salmon and veg are slow-cooked until the vegetables almost start to break down, the sauce is delicious served on its own but tastes even better topped with the nut-crusted salmon fillets. This is a slow-cooked recipe but is certainly worth the wait.
SERVES 4
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200g shallots, thinly sliced
- 350g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 150g chargrilled artichoke hearts in oil, halved if large
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 200ml hot fish stock
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- Parsley, to serve
FOR THE SALMON
- 85g unsalted shelled pistachios, chopped
- 40g stale whole wheat breadcrumbs
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
- Half tsp dried chili flakes
- 4 wild salmon fillets, skin-on
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
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- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the shallots and squash and fry for 5 mins until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for another minute.
- For the pistachio crust, mix together the pistachios, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and chili flakes in a bowl, then season. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of each salmon fillet, pressing it down to help it stay in place.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker pot and stir in the artichokes, tomato purée, capers, turmeric, stock and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours, until the squash is tender.
- Stir the lemon juice into the slow cooker and arrange the salmon fillets on top. Turn the slow cooker to high if on low, and cook for 40–45 mins until the salmon is opaque. Spoon the vegetable sauce into four large shallow bowls and top each serving with a salmon fillet and a sprinkling of parsley.
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Superfood Slow Cooker by Nicola Graimes and Cathy Seward, published by Ryland Peters & Small