Grilled salmon with onion sauce

This healthy, Jewish-style salmon dish is packed with herbs giving it a flavourful punch with a zesty, lemon twist. You can serve it with a spicy onion sauce, traditional Jewish honey-braised carrots and pickled cucumbers.

Credit: Feast

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg side of salmon, skin on, pin-boned
• 1 cup chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, rosemary, chives and oregano)
• 2 lemons, juiced, zested
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• honey-braised carrots and pickled cucumbers, to serve

Onion sauce

• 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
• 6 bulb spring onions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp harissa (see Note)
• 1 tsp caster sugar

Chilling time 2 hours

Drink match 2009 Barkan Classic Sauvignon Blanc ($15) from Israel.

Instructions

Place salmon, skin-side down, in a large roasting pan or baking dish. Combine herbs, juice and zest, garlic, oil and sugar in a bowl. Spread over salmon and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat a grill to high. Place salmon in pan under the grill and cook for 20 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking.

To make onion sauce, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in vinegar, harissa, sugar and 125 ml (½ cup) water and cook for 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Serve hot or cold with onion sauce, carrots and cucumbers.

Note

• Harissa is available from delis, selected greengrocers and Middle Eastern food shops.

Photography by John Laurie. 

As seen in Feast magazine, December 2011, Issue 4. 

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.