Seared Sesame Salmon!

A simple everyday salmon recipe:

Ingredients:

1. A skinned salmon filet;
2. Tablespoon of sesame seeds (toasted if you like);
3. Pinch of sweet soft cayenne or other such pepper;
4. Pinch of salt and a couple of twists of the pepper mill;
5. 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame oil;
6. 1 tbsp EVOO;
7. 1 tsp mild soy sauce;

Preparation:

1. Mix the seeds and spices together in deep plate;
2. Whisk the liquids together and completely cover the salmon fillet;
3. Coat the salmon fillet with the seeds mixture;
4. Heat a non stick pan over high heat;
5. Fry the salmon on both sides for no more than 30 sec per side, less if the fillet is thin;
6. Set the salmon aside to cool before cutting it into ½ cm thick strips;

I serve the salmon on top of a peppery salad leeve, avocado and potato salad tossed in a simple Dijon mustard, lemon juice and EVOO dressing. Eggs and beans are great additions as are croutons.

Green Olive Pesto Salmon

Some years ago David taught me how to make a dish of marinated salmon that was absolutely brilliant. For a little while I made this all the time but then as happens with all recipes I learn I got bored of it and forgot all about the recipe. I did however, send the recipe to an old friend Aksel and he apparently never got bored with salmon prepared this way.

Today he returned the favour by emailing me the original email I sent him six years ago. I must say this sounds really good.

Ingredients:

1. 1 tbsp capers-rinsed and drained;
2. Juice and Zest of 1 lemon;
3. Quarter 75 ml virgin olive oil;
4. 1 tbsp dijon mustard;
5. 2 tbsp black mustard seed;
6. 250 gram salmon fillet;
7. Salt and pepper to taste;
8. 8 1.5 cm thick slices of baguette toasted;
9. 75 ml green olive pesto*
10. 2 scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal

Combine in blender: capers, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, mustard, 1 tbls of mustard seed until smooth. Cut salmon in to dice (quarter inch) and put in mixing bowl -- add caper mixture and mix well -- season to taste with salt and pepper

Spread each toast with pesto, top with salmon (now mixed with sauce), sprinkle with remaining mustard seeds and scallion slices and serve immediately

Green olive pesto:

1. 375 ml cup of pitted jumble green olives;
2. 1/2 red onion chopped;
3. 75 ml of pine nuts;
4. half clove of garlic thinly sliced;
5. 125 ml of olive oil

* combine everything except oil for a minute then add oil slowly--let stand half hour before using