Crispy Skinned Salmon on Red Curry Coconut Spinach

I used to make this dish years ago when I wanted something quick, easy and impressive for dinner guests.  I don’t normally go for fish in curries, but this is a worthwhile exception.  The buttery soft salmon holds its own in the spicy sauce and looks so good on the plate on a bed of spinach.  Of course, you could use another firm fish, such as blue eye, but the full flavour and texture of the salmon is hard to beat.  I usually use red curry paste, which works really well and I always cook the salmon a little longer as I like mine almost cooked through.  With so little prep time this will give you good bang for your buck.  I usually make this in winter but with the cool summer evenings we’ve been having of late, it’s perfect to warm your cockles.  Perhaps not a great one for the kiddies, at least not until they’re a bit older – the boy is just starting to like things “a wittle bit spicey” so it won’t be long now.

Ingredients

4 x salmon fillets, skin on

2 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

Coconut spinach:

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 small red chillies, seeded and chopped

2 tbsp Asian chilli paste (or Thai red curry paste)

2 cups coconut cream

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 bunches English spinach, washed thoroughly, stems removed

Method

Place the salmon in a shallow dish with the ginger, sesame oil and soy.  Allow to marinate for 10 minutes on each side.  Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat and cook the salmon for 1 minute on each side.  Cook for longer on the skin side if you like a crispy skin.

To make the coconut spinach, place the garlic, chillies and paste in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the coconut cream and lemon juice and simmer for 4 minutes.  Add the spinach and toss until wilted.

To serve, place some spinach on each plate and top with a piece of salmon.

Serves 4