I happily admit that salmon is by far my favourite fish. I find that it has the nicest flavour and texture and to top it all off, it is exceedingly healthy! The one downside is that salmon can be quite expensive when you are living on a student budget especially as unlike chicken or beef, it can be very difficult to make a single fillet last for multiple meals. Luckily, I have found that frozen salmon works just as well in this recipe and if I decide to treat myself, I will splash out on the fresh stuff!

This recipe actually comes from one of my best friends who I lived with for the past two years. To see the original version – check out her post on Super Sticky Salmon over at Yan and the Yums! She first made this for me two years ago and to be honest, I have raved about it ever since. I have changed the recipe a little to my tastes however the basic ingredients remain the same because this is just so good!

Salmon are a very interesting fish. Normally born in fresh water, they go to the ocean to live their lives and then return to fresh water, typically the same place they were born, to reproduce. They are native to rivers leading into the North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. The name is thought to have derived from the Latin word salire meaning ‘to leap’ describing the way in which salmon swim up stream when returning to mate. The fish will literally leap their way up waterfalls to reach the areas in which they reproduce! After they reproduce, the salmon’s body releases large amounts of catabolic steroids which will cause the salmon to rapidly age before dying.

Luckily, this recipe is super quick and easy to make and doesn’t involve swimming upstream or anything that strenuous. You can do it from start to finish in half an hour and as you bake the salmon in the foil, it reduces the washing up because you only have to clear up after the sauce bowl, rice and broccoli pans – some of this can even be done along the way! The salmon is flakey and soft, the rice fluffy and the broccoli spicy and fresh. It is a perfect dinner in for one and is brilliant to whip out when entertaining friends as the salmon can be prepared in advance and once they have tasted it, they will keep coming back for more!

 

Sticky Salmon with Pan Roasted Garlic Broccoli

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Price per portion: from around £1.75 depending on whether you use fresh or frozen salmon and what type of rice you go for!

 

Ingredients

1 salmon fillet

1 tsp peanut butter (heaped)

1 tsp tahini (heaped) – alternatively, just use another teaspoon of peanut butter

1 ½ tbsp. hoi sin sauce

¼ tsp soy sauce

60g rice

80g broccoli

1 large garlic clove roughly chopped

1 tsp chilli flakes – hot chilli sauce can also be used but doesn’t give such a crisp result (if using sauce, mix one teaspoon with a tablespoon of water)

Oil

 

Optional

½ tsp sriracha

½ tsp sesame oil

Chopped peanuts to garnish

One spring onion finely sliced

 

 

To make the sauce, put the peanut butter, tahini, hoi sin, soy sauce, sriracha and sesame oil into a bowl and mix together.

Place the salmon onto a sheet of foil and add half the sauce on top.

Fold the foil around the salmon to make a tent and crimp the edges – this doesn’t need to be tight around the fish, it is just there to make sure the sauce doesn’t burn. To do this, bring the sides of the foil up and pinch together along the top edge. Then just scrunch up the open edges!

Place in the oven for 20 minutes (25 if cooking from frozen)

Start cooking your rice so it will be finished just after the salmon comes out of the oven.

When the fish has 10 minutes left, pour a little oil into a pan on a medium heat and add the garlic.

The moment the garlic starts to brown, remove it (but leave as much oil as you can) and place the garlic to one side

Add the broccoli to the pan and cook for five minutes making sure not to let it burn – if you are using the spring onion, add that too keeping a little back to garnish the dish.

The broccoli should have gone bright green by this point so add the garlic back in along with the chilli and continue to pan roast until the rice and the fish are cooked.

Top the fish with some more of the sauce once it is plated and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and the remaining spring onion to garnish.

 

Let me know if you try this at home or drop me a tag on Instagram if you are proud enough to post it – I love seeing what you guys make! Check out my recipe from last week for a chocolate and orange bread and butter pudding! It’s super delicious and a wonderful way to finish a meal however if you are looking for a slightly more savoury option, my mushroom risotto is a great way to fill yourself up to prevent snacking (though if no one sees you, then it didn’t happen)!

See you next week with a recipe for a christmassy baking treat!

H