This gorgeous-looking, side of salmon is packed with flavour. The key is to not overcook it so it stays moist. For smaller numbers, you can make the recipe with salmon fillets. Follow the same method, but halve the cooking time.

Method: 

• Preheat oven to 200°C (fan) and line an oven dish or tray with baking parchment.
• Remove any bones from the fish. Heat a large non-stick griddle or non-stick frying pan until very hot. Brush the salmon with olive oil.
• To colour the salmon, either heat a griddle/non-stick frying pan over high heat and sear the salmon, flesh side down, for 2 minutes. Gently remove and place it, skin side down, on the lined oven tray. Or, if you don’t have a large enough non-stick pan you can either cut the salmon in two and sear them separately, then reassemble on the oven dish; or skip this step and brown it under an oven grill for 2-3 minutes at the end.
• In a lidded jar, mix the soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, honey, rice vinegar and ginger. Shake it to mix.
• Pour the dressing on top of the salmon. (You can prepare the fish up to this stage a few hours in advance and refrigerate it until ready to cook or cook it straight away.)
• If cooking straight away, put in the hot oven for 12-15 minutes — until the fish is just done and light pink inside. If preparing in advance, and the fish goes into the oven fridge cold, then cook it for 18-20 minutes.
• Serve the fish either hot or at room temperature, topped with its cooking juice, pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs.

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Recipe first published in the JC December 22 2020