Tuesday 9 June 2020

Za'atar Salmon With White Bean Mash

Here we have another recipe from Yasmin Khan's delightful book - Zaitoun.  Salmon is often on the dinner roster here at chez Pickings, so I was happy to see another way of blinging it up.  I have some lovely memories of devouring smoked salmon in Scotland (the best I've ever eaten), and watching the fish travel up the Pitlochry salmon ladder.  Google it, my friends!

I have adjusted Yasmin's recipe a wee bit, as Mr P. and I felt the mash was kinda bland, and the fish ended up a bit dry.  Hubby gave me some suggestions to adjust to our tastes, so here is the Mr P. version:-)  I guess Yasmin really, really likes za'atar:-)  Or maybe she used a fresh, homemade version...



spicy salmon with bean mash

Serves 2-3:


ingredients:


For the paste:

2 tbs EV olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

half a dozen grinds of black pepper

 tbs za'atar 


2 salmon fillets - I used 4 small ones = 460g. (16 oz)


For the bean mash:


25g. (1 scant oz) butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

zest of 1 lemon

1 wedge of preserved lemon, finely chopped

a big pinch of sea salt

a few grinds of black pepper

400g. (14 oz) tin of cannellini beans, drained 

2 tbs water

2 tbs cream (optional)

fresh parsley - say a palmful? - chopped

1 tbs pine nuts (optional)

a bit more water (and/or cream) if the mash looks too dry



Method:


Make the paste by mixing the four ingredients together

Slather it on the non-skin side of the fish

Place the coated fish, skin-side down, on a lined baking tray

Bake at 200C/400F for 11-13 minutes; I suggest checking for your fave 'doneness' after ten minutes

While the fish is baking, make the mash

Melt the butter, then add the garlic, lemon zest and preserved lemon

Stir over a low heat for a few minutes

Add the salt and pepper, beans, water and cream; stir in well, and let the beans warm up for a couple of minutes

Take off the heat and mash roughly with a fork or masher

Add the parsley and pine nuts, and a bit more water/cream/salt and pepper if needed

Give it a final stir, and serve with the baked fish and a salad of chopped cucumber and tomato, or veg. of your choice


Notes:


Use up to 3 tbs of za'atar if you really love it.  Yasmin's recipe does say 3 tbs but Mr P. says it is too much:-)  I agree!  It overpowered the fish

Yasmin uses one clove of garlic; we used two but I reckon you could even go for three

Check the fish after ten minutes in the oven; we found 12-13 minutes was a bit too far for our tastes




fish ready for the oven


cooking up the bean mash


Mr P. does the mashing - borrow him, if you like :-)


baked - after twelve minutes


ready to eat




artwork © Sherry's Pickings

33 comments:

  1. I love that thick layer of za'atar coating and salmon happens to be one of my favourites too. This is a perfect dinner for me!

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  2. This looks delicious. Thank you for sharing

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  3. We've been talking about playing with za'atar, and I'm loving this salmon idea! Also, on a side note, the best smoked salmon we've ever eaten was also in Scotland. Our B&B made a homemade grain bread that was served toasted with smoked salmon on top. Holy cow! (Now I'm craving that again...)

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    1. oh yes that scottish smoked salmon ... a thing of beauty and a joy forever, as the poets say:-)

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  4. I like za'atar but don't use it much. With salmon I'm sure it was delicious :)

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    1. i have never used it before so this was a first.

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  5. I love eating fish but I don't cook it that often. On the other hand mash is a staple in this house and I love this white bean version - I'm definitely going to give it a go. Sounds delish!

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    1. hi sammie
      we have salmon often, and i also make pasta with tuna, and a tuna mornay and a salmon bake etc etc... so yep we have lots of fish. love white bean mash.

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  6. Somehow you give me the impression that this isn't really a great cookbook -- everything needs adjusting! I'm not sure I would like za'atar on salmon, anyway. We eat it on yogurt or salad. And the white bean dish is really YOURS!

    be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. i think this is a good cookbook for ideas, but like everything you have to make it to your own taste...

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  7. I've had frozen Scottish salmon, and that was really good. I definitely need to have it at the source someday. Anyway, we're deep into wild salmon season here, and this looks like a neat recipe. Thanks!

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  8. One of my favorite restaurants has a few za'atar items on the menu, and I really love them. But I haven't used that spice at home. I'll need to change that!

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    1. hi jeff
      always great to try new things, isn't it? i had never had it before.

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  9. Not sure that my first comment went through... we love both salmon and za'atar. Haven't tried them together, though - so this will be fun. We always have za'atar on hand, or at least the ingredients ot make our own blend! Thanks to Mr. P for his version!

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    1. Hi david
      you can't go wrong with salmon, and a spicy coating is always a treat!

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  10. I find za'atar really varies. A lot of the time it tastes sort of sawdusty to me but then you come across a good one and it's like it's in a different league! :D

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    1. yes i think that may have been the problem here. the za'atar was a wee bit ... dusty.

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  11. Haha... I would love to borrow Mr P for some mashing, Sherry! I love the flavours in this meal, a little herby and fishy with a side of beans. We'd all enjoy this, especially with your little adjustments!

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    1. he comes cheap, does Mr P! throw him a bone now and then ... :-)

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  12. I also make salmon with za'atar, yours looks lovely.
    Amalia
    xo

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  13. I always forget we have a potato masher. Great idea for the beans. Lovely meal.

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  14. I love za'atar on top of my morning avo toast. I bet it's tasty in the way you used it too. Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

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    1. i hadn't thought of putting it on avo toast but it could be interesting... yes thanks the weekend was fine. Hope yours was too.

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  15. What a lovely recipe, I never tried zaa'tar for salmon, but it's arguably delicious! Funnily enough I've never tried beans mash but I love hummus, so texture-wise it's probably not much different... I should really try :)

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    1. yep give mashed beans a go! It is a delicious accompaniment to fish and chicken.

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  16. That salmon with that bean mash sounds really delish

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