winter fish

Smoked salmon fillet, with mixed cherry toms, black olives, chorizo, rose petal roasted butternut squash, rocket, mozzarella, feta, pomegranate seeds and basil in a red wine vinegar and black pepper dressing.

This is not quite how I like to be inspired however, after being ill with a horrible virus this summer, I was categorically off meat, dark meat especially and so found myself learning more and more about veggie and fish dishes. My love for all seafood grew and as we were living on the coast in Ibiza, I got to sample and taste the freshest catches. There is nothing better than FRESH SEAFOOD!!

Now, months down the line and back in the very cold and wet UK my interest in incorporating fish into my every day meals is still keen.

The dish I am making today is a mish mash of two recipes out of ‘Jamie Oliver’s 5 Ingredients’ book. I have however doctored each idea to be #antiallium and created something that’s seasonal and probably my favourite winter fish dish.

my top tips;

⁃ Buy fresh gorgeous salmon – lay on paper towels skin side down, this will help the skins to really crisp up when cooking.

⁃ Marinate your butternut squash – give the root vegetable time to soak in the rose petals and oil.

⁃ Basil can be used throughout the dish, for those that like it strong or just to garnish.

ingredients

• 2 x 150 g salmon fillets , skin on

• 300 g ripe mixed-colour cherry tomatoes

• 4 sprigs of fresh basil or 1 sprig if just using to garnish

• 8 black olives

• 30 g higher-welfare chorizo

• 1 butternut squash (1.2kg)

• 1 heaped tbsp rose petals

• 2 ripe avocados

• 100g mixed salad leaves – rocket or spinach are good

• 1 x 125g ball of mozzarella

• 1 x 125g cubed feta

• 1 x packet of pomegranate seeds

method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.

Cut the squash into rough 5cm chunks, seeds and skin, put into a roasting tray, rub all over with a tablespoon of olive oil, rose petals and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes, or until soft, golden and gnarly.

Once the squash is nearly cooked, place a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon red wine vinegar, a little salt and pepper, into a large bowl. Halve and slice the avocados, then gently toss with the salad leaves in the dressing.

Halve the cherry tomatoes, tear up most of the basil leaves, if using, then toss it all with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Squash the olives then finely chop the flesh.

Finely slice the chorizo, add to the pan for the last 2 minutes, then toss in the dressed tomatoes for 30 seconds.

Get a large cold non-stick frying pan and place on a medium-high heat, put the salmon flesh side down. The salmon begins to sizzle (about 3 minutes), as the pan heats up to temperature, flip the salmon over and cook on the skin side (about 5 minutes) until very crisp and just cooked.

Use forks to divide and tear the hot squash (skin, seeds and all) between your plates.

Divide up the salad on top and tear over the mozzarella and feta, with the salmon on top.

Spoon over the pomegranate seeds and pick over the remaining basil

Serve immediately and ENJOY!!