John Torode's seared salmon with Indian spiced lentils
More of us are eating salmon than ever before, and the price has come right down in line with cod. But John Torode says we’re getting it wrong when it comes to cooking this fish!
John’s back in the kitchen ready to show us his secret to perfectly cooked seared salmon every time. This is a dish he loves to cook at home alongside spicy lentils, and it can all be on the table in under 30 mins!
Seared salmon with Indian spiced lentils
Serves: 4-6
Prep and cook times
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the spiced lentils
100g Puy lentils
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
50g fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp turmeric
2 long red chilli, de-seeded and diced
1 medium onion, grated
3 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
2 large ripe plum tomatoes, finely chopped
300ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp creme fraiche
Good handful of coriander leaves
For the salmon
800g salmon fillet, skin on
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Lentils
Rinse the lentils and put them into a large saucepan. Cover with fresh water and bring to the boil, then cook for 10 minutes. Drain and put the lentils to one side.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and gently fry the garlic, ginger, chilli and onion over a medium heat, until golden - about 4-5 minutes
Add the dried spices and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant. Now add the part-cooked lentils and stir well so they are coated in the spicy mixture. Drop in the chopped tomatoes and turn the heat up. Squash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon and when everything in the pan is steaming hot add the stock.
Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to a simmer and bubble gently for 10 minutes. The lentils should now be tender and soft, but if they’re not, leave them to cook until they are.
Salmon
Heat the oven to 200℃/gas 6. Heat a griddle or frying pan over a very high heat for a good 10 minutes until scorchio! (really hot).
Rub the salmon all over with oil and place it on the griddle lengthways, skin-side up. Be prepared to open all your windows and doors; this is gonna smoke - lots!
After about 4 minutes lift the salmon and give it a quarter turn to the left and cook for a further 4 minutes. Flip it onto a baking sheet, skin-side down and put it in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes. Take it out, turn it back over and peel off the skin (throw the skin away). Pull the salmon apart with two forks - it should naturally flake.
Finish
While the salmon is in the oven, take a third of the lentil mixture and pop it in a food processor with the creme fraiche. Blitz for a minute to make a thick puree - this will thicken the sauce. Pour the puree back into the pan, let it bubble then take it off the heat. Drop in the coriander leaves and butter. Serve the salmon and lentils together on a big platter with yoghurt and green chilli chutney.
Green chilli chutney
Serves: 4
Prep and cook times
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
250g green chilies, washed and dried
10 cloves garlic peeled
1 large pinch turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
1tsp salt
1tsp vinegar
Vegetable or sunflower oil
Method
Once rinsed and dried, fry the chillies in oil until they begin to discolour
Add the garlic, cumin seeds and turmeric to the pan and cook for a few minutes
With the oil still in the pan, add the salt, vinegar and mix together
Now grind to a puree using a food processor and store in a sterilised and dried glass jar. Keep refrigerated and use within a month.