Poached salmon with a salad of watercress, oranges and pine nuts
1:42pm Friday 22nd August 2008
THIS weeks recipe is for a fresh salad to match our occasional sunny days. Nice and simple, it makes a super light lunch, supper or picnic dish.
Over the past year or so, weve been using quite a lot of rapeseed oil which is being produced in the North-East. It makes a great alternative to other oils for all styles of cooking and is great used on its own as a dressing as weve done here. However, theres no reason why you couldnt use extra virgin olive oil if you preferred.
To toast the pine nuts, heat a dry frying pan until you can hold your hand above it for only a couple of seconds. Then add the nuts and allow them to toast, tossing every few seconds, until they are beginning to gain a little colour C but be careful not to burn them.
Then remove from the pan and allow them to cool.
Serves four Four 175g salmon fillets C skin removed 200g watercress A handful of pine nuts C toasted Two oranges Malden sea salt Freshly-ground black pepper Extra virgin rapeseed oil Method Place the salmon in a single layer in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for eight to ten minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Peel the oranges, removing the white pith as well. Then, using a sharp knife, segment the oranges over a bowl to catch the escaping juice.
In a large bowl, mix the orange juice with a couple of tablespoons of rapeseed oil and whisk together.
Then add the watercress, orange segments and toasted pine nuts, gently toss them together and divide between four unheated plates before placing the salmon on top. Season with a sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper and a slug of rapeseed oil.
This is great served with some crusty bread of perhaps a few new potatoes.
ñ Oldfields Restaurants cookbook, Passion for Real Food, is out now and available in bookshops.
For discounted copies, contact the restaurant in Claypath, Durham, on 0191-370-9595 or go to www.oldfieldsrestaurants.com.