We usually go for something different on either Christmas lunch or dinner. In the last one we had the kid's favourite roast rib of beef for lunch so I thought of keeping it a little lighter for dinner.
Often salmon is dealt with in our kitchen by grilling it. This time it is baked with some veggies stuffed in it. I think it still needs a little more seasoning although my husband it was just right. Anyway he said we always have a dipping dish of soy sauce and lemon on the side. However as a variation, this dish can be marinated first with teriyaki sauce to make the salmon more flavoured. But forget my gripes, I highly recommend this as an alternative to your usual turkey or beef roasts.
This was adapted from the Good Housekeeping magazine from the mid 90s. Enjoy!
Roasted Teriyaki Salmon
4 spring onions
225 g asparagus (optional) - halved lengthwise
225 g carrots - peeled and julienned
225 g leeks
1 large red or orange bell pepper
3 garlic cloves - finely minced
50 g canned water chestnuts - julienned or roughly chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce*
2 salmon tail fillet (about 1.8 kg in weight) - skin on and scaled
sea salt flakes
fresh ground pepper
- Cut off the ends of the leek and into about 4-inch lengths crosswise then cut into julienne strips.
- De-seed the bell pepper and cut into julienne strips.
- Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a wok. Saute the garlic for a few seconds.
- Stir fry the rest of the vegetables for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the teriyaki sauce and cook for about 1 minute.
- Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F.
- Put the salmon fillets cut side up on a work surface. Sprinkle some teriyaki sauce, sea salt and pepper on them.
- Place the cooled vegetable on top of one then cover with the other salmon fillet, cut side down.
- Tie the salmon tightly together at intervals using cotton strings.
- Brush the of the salmon on top with the rest of the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
- Put the salmon in a roasting pan and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove from oven and put under a hot grill (or increase the oven to 250°C/fan 230°C/490°F) for 2-3 mins to brown the salmon.
- To serve, cut into thick slices and with lemon and soy sauce.
*Notes:
- You may use store-bought teriyaki sauce.
- This can be prepared ahead by doing to end of step 10 up to one day ahead. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
- When baking from chilled, cook for 35-40 mins.
- The salmon may also be marinated with the teriyaki sauce for about 15 minutes to increase flavour.