Basil butter grilled salmon with fennel and tomato salad

A seriously light and fresh summer salmon supper. This is a perfect example of using simple good-quality ingredients and letting them do all the work.

Credit: Donal's Meals in Minutes

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 30 g butter, softened
• 10-12 basil leaves
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 4 salmon fillets (about 175 g each), skin on
• 20 g chopped walnuts
• 300 g ripe tomatoes (heritage or different colours are great here), halved or cut into wedges
• 1 fennel bulb, finely shaved
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tsp cider or white wine vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Mash the butter in a small bowl. Finely chop half the basil leaves and mix them into the butter with plenty of seasoning.

2. Heat a little drizzle of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side down, and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden and crisp. Turn over and cook for just a minute or 2 more, then add the basil butter and let it melt and foam around the salmon; spoon it over the top of the fillets. Add the walnuts and cook for a further minute or so.

3. Meanwhile, mix the tomatoes and fennel in a large bowl with the garlic, vinegar and remaining basil leaves. Season well and add a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil.

4. Serve the buttery salmon with the salad.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.