Pepper & lemon crusted salmon with asparagus
By CJ Jackson
Eating salmon is a great way to get omega-3 in your diet
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Prep:15 mins
Cook:15 mins
- Serves 4
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
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kcal 459
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fat 29g
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saturates 10g
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carbs 17g
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sugars 2g
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fibre 2g
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protein 33g
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salt 0.65g
Ingredients
- 400g pack asparagus
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 salmon fillets, about 140g/5oz each, skinned
- 2 lemons
- 50g butter, melted
- 6 tbsp coarse breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp coarsely ground or crushed peppercorn
- small bunch chives, chopped to serve
Tip
Why is it different colours?Farmed salmon often has a nature identical (artificial) colourant added to the food to colour the flesh. Organic salmon is quite pale although a natural pigment is included in their diet. Some Wild Pacific slamon is a very rich pink colour due to its natural diet.Buy responsibly
Atlantic salmon is widely available from farmed sources, so buy this rather than wild Atlantic salmon, which is increasingly scarce. Try to buy organic salmon, which is certified by the strict guidelines of the Soil Association or RSPCA-certified salmon, which is labelled Freedom Food and is guaranteed to have been farmed responsibly.
Method
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cook the asparagus in a pan of boiling salted water for 1 min, drain, then run under the cold tap for a few secs. Drain again, toss in olive oil and spread out to a single layer in a large ovenproof roasting tin. Check the salmon for pin-bones, then arrange on top of the asparagus.
To make the crust, finely grate the zest of 1 lemon, then add this to the butter, breadcrumbs and pepper, and sprinkle liberally over the salmon. Cut the lemons into wedges. Nestle two-thirds of the wedges around the fish, then squeeze the juice from the remainder directly over the fish.
Roast fish for 12-15 mins or until it is just cooked through, it should be opaque and firm (see How to cook it, below left). Sprinkle with chives, then serve immediately with buttered new potatoes.
