Australian Salmon is a firm white fish with a stronger taste and that can dry out, but is wonderful when fried, cooled and marinated in vinegar and spices in the Mediterranean / Latin American style of dish called Escabeche. Marinating the fish after it’s cooked introduces moisture and flavour back into the fish. Delicious warm or cold.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
500 – 600 g yellow & red cherry tomatoes
2 med Lebanese / baby eggplant, thickly sliced
4 tbsp + extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika
salt flakes & freshly cracked black pepper
1 onion, peeled & thickly sliced lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red chilli, seeds removed & finely sliced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
4 x 150 – 180 g Australian Salmon fillet pieces, dried with paper towel.
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp aged Balsamic vinegar
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Method
- Preheat oven to 220˚C.
- Place the tomatoes and eggplant on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and toss with the smoked paprika to cover. Season well. Bake 20 minutes until tomato skin has blistered and the eggplant soft and golden and reserve to the side.
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic together with the cinnamon and allspice until softened. Reserve in a bowl to the side.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and fry the fish for 2 – 3 minutes before turning and then topping with the onion mixture.
- Pour over the red wine vinegar and gentle shuffle the pan to loosen the fish.
- Transfer to a platter; pour over the Balsamic and leave to cool. Serve with the cherry tomatoes and eggplant and garnish with the basil, mint and toasted pine nuts.