SALMON WITH LEMON CAPER SALSA

After another week in France I am feeling the bulge!! As always there was cheese, cheese, wine, pasta, cheese….I always get so carried away when I am out there. I did ski nearly everyday but I don't think I burnt off a tenth of the calories.

Arabella and I flew home and I knew I had to cook something healthy preferably fish - Pascal was pleased he was remaining in France for a few more days!! I was desperate to cook something from my new Fay Ripley cookbook but Arabella wanted salmon so picked a recipe I had ripped out of Olive magazine. 

Ingredients for 2 people:

2 x salmon fillet, skin on
Olive oil
A lemon
2 tbsp of small capers, rinsed & drained
2 tbsp of parsley, chopped
120g couscous
Knob of butter
Rocket, to serve

I started off by preparing all the ingredients for the salsa - zest half the lemon as finely as possible and put in a small bowl, chop the capers and add these to the bowl with the parsley, black pepper and enough olive oil and lemon juice to dress everything well. I would taste as you do it as I way over did lemon!!

For the couscous - follow the packet ingredients - I had to cover mine with hot water for five minutes, then added some butter & finally fluffed it up with a fork.

Finally rub some olive oil onto the skin of the salmon, put skin side down in a pan and season the top of the fish.

Cook over a medium heat until the skin starts to crisp (a couple of minutes), then cover with a lid for 4 minutes.

Remove the lid and cook until the salmon is ready - I like it a little pink inside but it is a personal choice - it only takes a few more minutes.

Finally serve on a bed of couscous and rocket and spoon over the salsa.

Even though I was too heavy handed with the lemon, this was absolutely delicious. Everything worked amazingly - the rocket was a brilliant addition (something I nearly left off) and I have to say the couscous and salsa were brilliant and cooking the salmon with a crispy skin was incredible. I would definitely recommend it and will be cooking this again. One thing to remember though - open the windows and doors when you cook the salmon as it will stink out your house!!!