Tea Blackened Salmon with Orange Pickled Fennel
This recipe delivers results that far exceed the level of effort required, which might I add, is about as minimal as it can get and yet it produces something far greater than the sum of its ingredients. It’s an ideal recipe for entertaining, all the work is done well in advance and mostly by the magic of marinade.
Both elements require 48 hours advance preparation, after which it is simply a case of frying the salmon which by now, infused with ginger, garlic and soy, will turn the fish black.
Choose a good thick middle section of salmon fillet for this recipe, the longer it can stay in the pan and caramelise, the better. I should also say, it would be a shame to do this recipe if you have no intention of eating the skin. I’m just saying.
Nor does it need to be reserved for high days and holidays; you can easily pair salmon like this with mid-week mundane and transform a simple meal into something altogether more exotic.
More often than not though, I serve the salmon with a smattering of fresh coriander and a wedge of lime for an impressive looking starter.
Ingredients
(Serves 2)
For the salmon
450g salmon fillet in 4 equal portions
40g grated root ginger
50ml dark soy sauce
1 x crushed clove garlic
40g runny honey
2 x Earl Grey tea bags
For the fennel
2 x bulbs of fennel
2 x small oranges
150g caster sugar
150ml good quality white wine vinegar
A few black peppercorns
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Make the marinade for the fish by adding the tea bags to 400ml of boiling water, followed by the rest of the ingredients. Leave to go completely cold before adding the pieces of fish and refrigerating.
Slice the fennel as thinly as possible and add to a bowl of ice-cold water with a hefty squeeze of lemon juice. This is ‘acidulated water’ and will keep your fennel crisp and white.
Peel half a dozen Band-Aid size strips off each orange, taking as little pith as possible. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and blanch these for 2 minutes. Drain them and chuck the water (This process should negate any bitterness from the pith remnants).
Rinse the pan out and add the sugar along with the white wine vinegar and set it over a low heat to dissolve the sugar slowly. Add the strips of orange peel and half a dozen black peppercorns.
Whilst that is heating, juice the oranges. Personally I prefer the look of the finished article without ‘the bits’ and strain my juice through a sieve. (You may prefer to include them – and it’s one less thing to wash up.) Add the juice to the pan.
Once the sugar has dissolved and the contents of the pan have reached a simmer, taste a little. Add a pinch of sea salt and taste again – you’re not aiming to taste the salt, just take the edge off the sweet and sharp high-notes and balance the whole thing nicely.
When you’re happy with that, drain the fennel from its water, pop it into another bowl and pour over the hot orange pickling liquor. Don’t panic if there doesn’t seem barely enough to cover – the fennel will start to relax in the hot liquid and all will be well in the world. It’s ready once its cooled, but it will also keep very nicely for a few days in the fridge.
To serve, drain the fennel from its orange liquor and remove the fish from the marinade. Pat the salmon dry on paper towel and fry skin side down over a low heat for 2- 3 mins. Turn the fish on all sides to caramelise and serve on top of the fennel.