Ottolenghi’s Puttanesca-style Salmon Traybake
Though simple and comforting, this traybake is elevated with a punchy olive, caper and preserved lemon salsa that cuts through the rich tomato anchovy oil that the salmon and vegetables are roasted in. A weeknight winner that would just as easily impress at a dinner party.
Introduction
If you make the tomato anchovy oil a day ahead here, you can then delight in the fact that a midweek supper can be on the table within 20 minutes. The fuss-free cooking method – all hail the traybake! – plus the dialled-up flavours – all hail puttanesca! – makes such a winning combination.
Ingredients
| For tomato anchovy oil: | |
|---|---|
| 85ml | olive oil |
| 8 | anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (25g) |
| 2½ tbsp | tomato paste |
| 1 tsp | chilli flakes |
| 2 tsp | coriander seeds, lightly bashed in a mortar |
| 8 | garlic cloves, very thinly sliced |
| 2 | preserved lemons, flesh scooped out and discarded, skin finely chopped (20g) |
| 2 tsp | maple syrup |
| For the traybake: | |
| 200g | fine green beans, trimmed |
| 6 | spring onions, cut widthways into 3 (75g) |
| 200g | cherry tomatoes, halved |
| 6 | skin-on salmon fillets (about 720g) |
| For the salsa: | |
| 60g | pitted Kalamata olives, halved |
| 60g | capers, roughly chopped |
| 1 | preserved lemon, flesh scooped out and discarded, skin thinly sliced (10g) |
| 10g | basil leaves, roughly chopped |
| 10g | parsley leaves, roughly chopped |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil |
| 2 tsp | lemon juice |
| salt and pepper |
Method
Put the oil, anchovies and tomato paste into a small sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the chilli flakes and coriander seeds and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, preserved lemon and maple syrup. Stir to combine, then set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.
Place the beans, spring onions and tomatoes on a large, parchment- lined baking tray. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the tomato anchovy oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Toss to combine and place in the oven for 12–13 minutes, until the beans and tomatoes are starting to soften and taking on a little colour. Meanwhile, arrange the salmon fillets on a plate and, using a spoon, divide the remaining tomato anchovy oil (as well as all the solids) evenly on top of the fillets. Once the beans and tomatoes have had their time in the oven, nestle the salmon fillets among them and return to the oven for a further 8 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes, out of the oven, to rest.
While the salmon is baking, mix all the ingredients for the salsa in a small bowl and season with a good grind of black pepper. Spoon half the salsa over the salmon and serve the fish warm (or at room temperature, which works just as well), with the rest of the salsa in a bowl on the side.
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