Salmon & Lentils with a Chorizo and Balsamic Dressing

This is such an easy and yet rewarding dish to make. If you like fish, then you need to at least try this. The dressing itself can easily be adapted and, as a matter of fact, I have amended the original recipe (by Lorraine Pascale), as I found her version to be a bit too unctuous for my taste.

Contrary to what you might think, I do not keep bags of lentils in my kitchen. I find them really hard to cook with. If added to a soup, they tend to stick to the bottom of the pan when left unsupervisioned and ruin the whole thing. This time, however, I used the tinned variety (puy would be best, but green is also fine) and I was very happy with the result. The addition of maple syrup to a dressing might seem odd, although it works wonders here with the balsamic vinegar.

 

Ingredients

• 2 x salmon fillets, skin on (preferably, but mine were perfectly cleaned)
• 100g chorizo ring, sliced in one-pound coins
• 100g green beans, ends trimmed off
• 400g tin of puy/green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch of mustard powder
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp butter

Method

1. Put a frying pan on a medium to high heat, drizzle some oil and lay the salmon fillets one next to the other. Preferably skin down (if they have their skin on). Cook for about 5 minutes on one side, then flip over and carry on cooking for another 4 minutes on the other side. Adjust your cooking time according to whether you prefer it slightly raw in the middle or well done. Cover the pan with a lid if you see the salmon is cooking only on one side as this will help spreading the heat more evenly.
2. In the meantime, melt the butter in another frying pan (or in a saucepan), then toss the trimmed green beans over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until evenly coated and bright green. Add the chorizo, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally.
3. Add the chopped rosemary and the lentils to the pan with the chorizo and beans and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.
4. Prepare the dressing in a jug by combining the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard powder and seasoning, then whisking together.
5. Remove the lentils pan from the heat and spoon some over your plate. Lay the cooked salmon fillets on top, then drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and serve while warm.

Advertisement