Salmon Stuffed with Walnuts, Herbs, Homemade Spicy Tahini Sauce
This unusual combination works surprisingly well. It is rich, tangy and delicious and complements the flavors of the salmon.
Both the walnuts and salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids and many other nutrients.
This is a very healthy dish.
Serve with brown rice and steamed spinach and you have a virtual super food.
Sea bass, trout, snapper or other fish with firm white flesh and moderate fat level are excellent alternative fish for this recipe id salmon is not available.
Stuffed Salmon Recipe with Walnuts, Herbs and Homemade Spicy Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 hot red chilies, seeded and finely diced
- Zest of 1 whole lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped or torn into pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (coriander chopped into largish pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, minced or squeezed through a garlic press
- 1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted to release their flavors
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Kitchen string to hold the stuffed salmon fillet together while cooking.
- 2 salmon fillets, about 1 lb in weight each ( 500 g), with the skin on, and trimmed so each one has an even thickness along its length. The two fillets should be the same size to ensure even cooking. The trimmings can be added to the stuffing.
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Trim the salmon fillets. You want an even thickness so that the entire fillet cooked perfectly within the same time period.
Pull out any bones, pat dry with by trimming the extra thin belly part. Blot dry and sprinkle the meat side of each fillet with salt, pepper and a little cinnamon.
Using a blender or food processor pulse the walnuts, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, spices, zest, olive oil and salt and pepper into a chopped, coarse mixture. Do not blend the mixture into a paste as it won't stay in the fillet while it is cooked. Keeping a coarse texture also enhances the individual taste of all the ingredients.
To assemble, put one fillet on a board with the skin side down. Add enough of the stuffing to coat the fish surface evenly. Put the other fish fillet on top to make a 'sandwich', with the skin side up. Use the twine to wrap around the fillet sandwich and bind it together. Pour a little stream of olive oil into a baking dish and add the fillet, with an extra drizzle of oil on top. Season with freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Bake in the oven for about 20–25 minutes, flipping over once.
Serve with tabbouleh and spicy homemade tahini sauce.
Spicy Tahini Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup tahini
- Sea salt
Method
Put the tahini, lemon juice and water into a small bowl and whisk until creamy. Sauté the garlic in a little olive oil for about 60-90 seconds and then add the hot chilies and cilantro and fry for an addition 60 seconds for another minute. Add the tahini mixture and whisk to combine. Season with salt to taste. Gentle simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, remove from heat and add the toasted pine nuts. Pour the tahini onto the stuffed salmon to serve.
