Baharat Salmon with Tahini Dressing
Baharat is staple in Eastern Mediterranean cooking and paired with creamy, rich tahini dressing it transforms this sockeye salmon salad into a uniquely flavorful entrée.
Servings: 4
Cook Time: 35 mins.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons baharat spice mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
4 sockeye salmon fillets, 4-6 ounces each
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 eggplants, sliced thinly lengthwise
1 cup baby plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 lemon, juice and zest
Sea salt flakes, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
A handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
1 pomegranate, seeded
Toasted pine nuts to decorate
Tahini Dressing:
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-4 tablespoons cold water
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
Drizzle of honey to taste
Sea salt flakes, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Using a whisk and whisking all the time, mix all the ingredients for the tahini dressing in a mixing bowl to the desired consistency, adding a little more water if necessary. Season to taste and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small bowl mix together the baharat, cinnamon and honey. Place the salmon fillets on a baking tray and brush with the baharat mixture.
Toss the shallots in the flour. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat and cook the shallots until golden and crisp – about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. You may have to do this in batches as the shallots burn easily and color quickly.
Brush each slice with some olive oil and grill in a hot frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side until tender and charred. Add the tomatoes and char until just soft. Remove from the frying pan and place in a serving dish. Add the garlic to the pan along with the red pepper flakes. Heat for just a few seconds then add the lemon juice and swirl through the pan. Drizzle this over the eggplant and tomatoes and season well.
Mix together the mint, parsley and lemon zest and scatter over the eggplant and tomatoes with the pomegranate seeds and some of the tahini dressing.
Place the salmon fillets in the preheated oven and roast for about 6 minutes or until cooked.
To serve, place the salmon fillets on the salad, drizzle with a little more tahini dressing and top with the crispy shallots and some toasted pine nuts.
