The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

CHIA & SRIRACHA CRUSTED SALMON

I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I COOK SALMON. It’s super healthy and reasonably priced. When you purchase it always ask for “center cut fillets” and then ask if they would “remove a little of the belly.” You won’t always get the latter, but when you do, it’s a nice saving and at least you will get four uniform pieces of fish that will now all cook at the same time. Chia seeds are found in most supermarkets and have been touted as a “superfood” i.e. rich in antioxidants and nutrients. I like them because they add a nutty flavor to this dish. If they aren’t in your local shop, please feel free to use sesame seeds instead. MAKES 4 PORTIONS

4 eight ounce salmon fillets ¼ cup Sriracha mayonnaise (2 tablespoons Sriracha with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise)

½ cup Chia seeds 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet skin side down. Rub the olive oil on to the flesh of the salmon. 2 Divide the Sriracha mayo between the four salmon fillets and spread over the flesh (but not the skin). Sprinkle liberally the Chia seeds over the Sriracha sauce. At this point the fillets can be refrigerated on their baking sheet, ready to go in the oven.

3 When ready to bake, allow fillets to come to room temperature on your counter, about 30 minutes. Slide them into the hot oven and bake on a center rack for about 12 minutes. 4 Remove from the oven and carefully lift the salmon off the baking sheet leaving the skin stuck to the sheet pan.

180 THE ROYAL CHEF AT HOME