This baked salmon dish is a delicious, hearty meal that is full of nutritional goodness, anti-oxidants and and digestion boosting herbs and spices. Baked with spiced broccoli and topped with a flavourful chermoula sauce, this dish will leave you pleasantly full and satiated.
I recently have been enjoying chermoula in many of my meals. It is an utterly moreish North African relish and marinade that goes perfectly with fish and vegetables. One of its main ingredients is coriander, a herb that offers several health benefits. It has a good amount of immune-enhancing antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and helps reduce bloating and stomach discomfort. Additional anti-inflammatory spices, which also aid digestion in chermoula include paprika and cumin. All these herbs and spices are balanced off with the zest and juice of one lemon, giving this sauce its delicious tangy taste.
We all know that broccoli comes with a whole host of health benefits from being a good source of protein and fibre, containing a range of vitamins, iron, calcium and potassium. I simply sliced a whole broccoli head in half and gave it a generous sprinkle of spices including turmeric (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory), coriander powder, paprika and cayenne pepper.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 2 pieces of salmon (I used a sustainably sources Norwegian salmon fillet, skin intact)
- 1 medium broccoli head (sliced in half)
- Sprinkle turmeric, coriander powder, paprika, cayenne pepper
- 3-4 cups water for brining
- Salt for brining and taste
- Olive oil
Charmoula
- 2 large handfuls coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 3 garlic cloves
- about 5 or 6 green olives
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- ½ -1 tsp salt (add in parts)
Rice
- 1 cup brown rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp oil (I used sunflower)
Method
- Start by brining the salmon. Place the salmon pieces in Tupperware, sprinkle with around 2 tsp salt and add around 2-3 cups water (ensure that the salmon is completely covered). Leave in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or more if you have time!
- Once you are ready to bake you can start by preheating the oven to 180C. In a baking dish (large enough to hold the salmon pieces and broccoli halves), drizzle with olive oil and place the salmon and broccoli. Sprinkle with salt, and sprinkle the broccoli with turmeric, coriander powder, paprika and cayenne. Drizzle more oil over everything.
- Place in the oven, starting with 10 minutes on the bottom oven heat setting, followed by another 10-12 minutes on the full oven setting.
- Whilst the fish is baking prepare the rice and chermoula. For the rice, add all the ingredients into a pot. Bring the water to a boil, mixing every so often.
- When it starts to boil, allow to cook for a minute or 2. Drain most of the water out (around 90%). Turn down the heat to low, put the lid on, and leave to cook and steam for another 8-10 minutes. Give it a mix every so often to ensure the rice hasn’t stuck to the bottom. Turn off the heat, with a fork, give it a fluff, and leave the lid on and leave to one side until ready to serve.
- For the chermoula, place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until well combined and ‘sauce like’.
- Once the salmon is cooked, serve with the rice and top with the chermoula sauce.
