Harissa Salmon and Asparagus Salad

Harissa Salmon and Asparagus Salad

Food styling: Clare Lewis. Styling: Sue Radcliffe

This spicy glazed salmon is good hot or cold; I like to weave it into salads. It’s also fab on a slab of toast drizzled with olive oil, with some strips of roasted pepper and cherry tomatoes.

Serves 4

300g thick asparagus (trimmed weight), sliced diagonally into 3cm-4cm pieces

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for the salad leaves

sea salt, black pepper

1 heaped tsp harissa

1 tsp runny honey

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 x approx 120g skinned

salmon fillets

baby spinach leaves, to serve

  • Preheat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 with a roasting pan inside large enough to hold the salmon fillets with a little space in between. Toss the asparagus with a tablespoon of oil and some seasoning in a bowl. Spread over the base of another roasting pan in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
  •  Meanwhile blend the harissa, honey, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and a teaspoon of oil in a small bowl. Season the salmon fillets both sides, lay top-up in the hot roasting pan, and spread with the harissa mixture. Roast for 5 minutes, then heat the grill, drizzle a couple of teaspoons of oil over the fillets and pop under the grill for 2-3 minutes until the glaze starts to char at the edges. These can be served hot or cold.
  • Toss the spinach with a little oil to coat it, a squeeze of lemon and a little seasoning, mix in the asparagus and divide among 4 plates. Gently crush the fillets using the back of a spoon until they start to flake, and serve in pieces on top of the salad.