I have a confession to make, I am afraid of the dark! Yep, I’m 58 and I’m still afraid of the boogie man!
My husband left to visit family for a week and I couldn’t go which meant I had to sleep in the flat ALONE in the dark. There was no WAAAY I was going to do that, because of my phobia, so I did what every 58-year-old who fears the night does, I called my big sister (Sara) and told her to prepare the spare room as I was moving in for a week. Let me tell you something, staying at my sister’s is awesome, she is the mother of all mothers; she will look after me and I won’t have to do a thing; nothing, nadda, nix, zero so It was hard to leave, but I missed my home, I missed my bed and my kitchen and I was having trouble sleeping anyway. So, after two nights, I packed up my swag and took myself home. Because nights are scary when you are Mrs Chicken Pants, I left the lights on which makes it kind of hard to fall asleep. So to help me nod off I would start to make a list of the dishes I’ve been wanting to make and crumbed salmon was on the top of the list.
I would think of all the ingredients I wanted to use and write them down, then edit and rewrite, and get the method down until I couldn’t keep my eyes open and that’s how I would finally conk out. You can thank the boogie man for this quick and easy to make, tender, flaky and flavoursome salmon with it’s incredibly crispy, herby, tasty, crust. It’s a MUST, no fear!
Helpful tips:
making this delectable dish is a breeze and it allows you to adjust the flavours according to your taste buds. If you wish to dial down the ginger's potency, simply halve the quantity. Feel free to swap the orange juice for a zesty lemon juice alternative. If mustard isn't your thing, omit it without hesitation. And feel free to ditch the dill and use coriander or parsley instead. The result will still be nothing short of delectable.
Ingredients for mustard layer:
3 pieces of salmon (approximately 650g)
1 heaped teaspoon lemon zest
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 heaped teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 heaped teaspoon whole grain mustard
1 heaped tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon orange juice
1 heaped tablespoon chopped dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for crispy Parmesan and Bread Crumb Mixture:
1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Mustard Layer Preparation: Combine all mustard layer ingredients thoroughly. Set aside.
Breadcrumb Mixture:
Mix coriander, Parmesan, and Panko bread crumbs. Remove 1/4-1/3 cup of the mixture and set a side.
Assembly:
Brush the salmon evenly with the mustard mixture until fully coated. Spoon the remaining mixture on top of the salmon, pressing firmly. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Final Baking:
Remove the fish, spray with oil, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes (adjust based on your oven; 10 minutes in mine was ideal).
Breadcrumb Finale:
Transfer the reserved breadcrumb mixture to a sheet pan lined with baking paper. Bake until golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Serving: Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumb mixture over your roasted or steamed veggies. For an added touch, I garnished with pine nuts.
