Hot sour roasted salmon with cherry tomatoes, herbs and cucumber

Tam West

The dressing can be made in advance but serve at room temperature. The salmon can be on its oven tray ready to be cooked, which only takes 15 minutes. The rice takes 20 minutes and after its initial boiling needs no attention except from a timer.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp	Grapeseed oil
250 g	Cherry tomatoes (Main)
3 large	Red chillies, mild, split in half lengthways up to the stalk
125 g	Shallots, peeled, sliced
1	Cucumber, peeled, split in half lengthways, seeds removed with a teaspoon, cucumber diced 1 cm (Main)
1 tsp	Salt
2 cups	Jasmine rice (Main)
800 g	Boneless salmon fillet, in one piece (Main)
3 Tbsp	Lime juice
3 Tbsp	Fish sauce
1 Tbsp	Palm sugar, finely grated
¼ cup	Fried shallots
¼ cup	Mint
¼ cup	Coriander
¼ cup	Dill

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 200C.
2. Line a large roasting dish or shallow tray with baking paper. Put the oil, tomatoes, chillies and shallots into a small roasting dish. Mix well and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are collapsing and the chillies and shallots are soft. Remove from the oven and reserve.
3. Put the cucumber into a bowl with the teaspoon of salt. Mix well, reserve 10 minutes then rinse well in cold water and squeeze the cucumber pieces dry, in handfuls. Reserve.
4. Place the rice into a saucepan and add enough water to come 1½ cm above the level of the rice. Bring to a rolling boil then move to your smallest stove element, cover and turn the heat to the lowest setting. Cook without uncovering for any reason for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and without uncovering, allow to stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff up the rice with a fork but don't mash the rice grains. Cover again and reserve, it will stay hot.
5. Put the salmon, skin side down on the paper-lined roasting dish. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until just cooked through.
6. Meanwhile place the roasted tomatoes, chillies and shallots in a bowl and add the cucumber, lime juice, fish sauce and palm sugar. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. This is the dressing.
7. Remove the salmon from the oven.
8. Put the rice on a large warm platter. Break the salmon into large pieces (discarding the skin) and place on the hot rice. Spoon the dressing over the top.
9. Sprinkle the shallots and fresh herbs on top and serve.

More of Ray's party recipes

• Barbecued chicken with cherry tomatoes, herbs and cucumber raita
• Orange and strawberry salad
• French almond cake