Confit salmon with a pomegranate-pistachio crust
This impressive salmon dish is served with a fresh-tasting herb chutney and spicy garlic shoestring fries.
Ingredients
For the masala salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 blade mace
- 4 tbsp sea salt
For the confit salmon
- 600g/1lb 5oz side sushi-grade salmon, skinned and pin-boned
- 500ml/18fl oz olive oil
- sea salt and freshly black pepper
For the mint and coriander chutney
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- large handful fresh mint leaves
- large handful fresh coriander leaves
- 1 green chilli, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- ½ lime, juice only
- 150g/5½oz Greek-style yoghurt
For the crust
- 100g/3½oz shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- large handful finely chopped fresh coriander
- 1 small red onion, very finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 50g/1¾oz mung bean sprouts
- 1 small pomegranate, seeds only
- 1 tsp chaat masala (Indian spice mix)
- 1 lime, juice only
- 4 tbsp extra virgin oliveÌý
For the spicy garlic shoestring fries
- 500g/1lb 2oz Maris Piper potatoesÌý
- rapeseed oil, for deep frying, plus 1 tbsp extra
- 4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 1 heaped tsp pul biberÌý(also known as Aleppo pepper)
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zest only
- sea salt, to seasonÌý
Method
To make the masala salt, toast the whole spices in a dry frying pan until fragrant, stirring frequently so they don’t burn, then crush in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder to blend with the salt to a fine powder. The masala salt can be stored in an airtight jar for up to a year.
Dust the salmon with 1 tablespoon of the masala salt and refrigerate for an hour to lightly cure.
To make the confit salmon, rinse the salmon well under cold water and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Place the salmon in a shallow pan large enough to hold the piece of salmon flat, then pour in the oil – the salmon should be completely submerged. Put the pan over a low–medium heat and use a digital thermometer to gauge when the temperature reaches 60C. Cook for 8 minutes at 60C. Remove from the heat and let the salmon rest in the oil for another 2 minutes, then carefully lift out and drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2 and place the salmon in a baking dish that fits it snugly and pour over the olive oil making sure it is submerged and cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque around the edges. Carefully lift out and drain on kitchen paper.
To make the chutney, heat a pan over a medium heat and dry fry the cumin seeds until aromatic. Tip them into a pestle and mortar and coarsely grind. Transfer to a food processor with the mint, coriander, chilli, caster sugar and lime and blend to a paste. Fold the paste into the yoghurt so that it is well incorporated, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Spread out the pistachios on a baking tray and roast for 8 minutes, giving them a shake every so often to make sure that they are evenly roasted. Remove from the oven, chop the nuts finely, then mix with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the spicy garlic shoestring fries, peel the potatoes and cut them into 2mm/1/16 in thick slices using a mandolin. Cut into fine matchsticks. Rinse for 2–3 minutes under cold running water to remove the excess starch, then pat dry on kitchen paper.
Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large wok to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Working in batches, fry the potatoes in the oil until crisp, about 5–6 minutes.ÌýUsing a slotted spoon, transfer the fries to a kitchen paper lined platter.
While the fries are frying, heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic until it is golden-brown and then add the pul biber and lemon zest. Fry briefly and then drain on kitchen paper. Place in a large bowl.Ìý
Season the fries with salt. Transfer the fries to the bowl of fried garlicÌýand toss to coat the fries evenly.
To serve, smear the surface of the salmon with some of the chutney and pack the crust on top. Serve with the rest of the chutney and the fries on the side.
