Having been born and raised in Cornwall, I had the privilege to enjoy some of the best seafood in the country. Unlike meat, fish needs mere minutes to cook, and salmon is always a fan favourite. In this recipe, I use my fundamental Everything Bagel blend to create a seared crust packed full of flavour before braising the salmon in aromatic fennel and juicy cherry tomatoes.

Method

• Firstly, combine all the ingredients for the Everything Bagel blend and store in an air-tight container. Preheat the oven to 200°C
• Remove the stalks and fronds from the fennel. Slice the bulb in half and remove the core (it should look like a triangle).
• Thinly slice the fennel and add to an oven proof dish along with the tomatoes and with a little vegetable oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pat dry the salmon fillets. Combine the honey and mustard in a small dish and using a pastry brush, glaze the salmon fillets and sprinkle generously with the everything bagel blend.
• Heat a small frying pan with a little vegetable oil over high heat. Fry the fillets seasoning side down for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on the side of the fillets as they sear, you’ll notice the flesh turning white. Once the white reaches just below 1cm, remove the fillets from the pan.
• Once the fennel and tomatoes have roasted, crumble the stock cube into the dish and pour enough water from a recently boiled kettle to just cover the fennel. Add the olives and pearl couscous before gently placing the seared salmon on top. Cover the dish and cook for 8-12 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fillets).
• Remove from the oven, scatter with a little fresh dill and eat immediately.

Note: For a more intense flavour, you can marinade the fillets in the honey mustard in an airtight container overnight in the fridge - you’ll need to double or triple the amount of honey and mustard. This dish is best served straight from the oven, however, you can let it cool and immediately refrigerate to eat as a cold salad dish but eat within 24 hours.

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