Soy-baked salmon with zingy salsa

Cooking a side of salmon is really simple and a great recipe to have up your sleeve even if you're not feeding a crowd, as the leftover fish will work really well flaked through a salad or pasta the next day. 

The salsa adds a lovely kick to contrast with the sweetness of the salmon.

Ingredients

150 ml low-salt soy sauce

75 ml rice mirin or rice wine

1 large thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled

1 lemon

2 limes

1 kg side of salmon, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger, scaled and pin-boned

For the salsa

1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

extra virgin olive oil

a few sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Method Pour the soy sauce into a bowl with the mirin or rice wine. Finely grate in the ginger and the zest from the lemon and limes. Mix well then carefully pour into a large sandwich bag. Add the salmon to the bag, loosely folding it to help it fit. Squeeze out any excess air so the salmon is completely covered then tie a knot in the bag and pop in the fridge to marinate for around 1½ hours.

Preheat your oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Ten minutes before the salmon has finished marinating, put an ovenproof griddle pan on a high heat to get nice and hot. When the time's up, transfer the salmon to a plate and pat it dry with kitchen paper, discarding the soy marinade. Sear the salmon for 1 minute on the screaming hot griddle pan, skin-side down, then place in the hot oven to cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the salsa. Mix the chopped pepper and chillies in a bowl with the juice of the zested limes and twice as much extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop and add the mint leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper then have a taste and tweak the seasoning if needed.

Serve the salsa with the lovely baked salmon, roasted sweet potatoes and a fresh green salad.

Nutritional Information - Amount per serving:

Calories280kcal

Carbs3.5g

Sugar2.6g

Fat19.6g

Saturates3.1g

Protein20.4g

by Jamie Oliver