Recipe courtesy of The Fish + Game Cookbook by Angelo Georgalli, RRP $59.99, https://beatnikpublishing.com
Food photography by Sally Greer, other images by Richard Cosgrove for Fish & Game New Zealand
There are so many incredible flavours in here, but they all just come together in a sensational flavour smash topped off brilliantly by the beautiful fresh barbequed salmon. Yum!
Ingredients
COUSCOUS
- 200g Israeli couscous
- Water for boiling
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- Pinch of ground cumin
- Pinch of fennel seeds
- Pinch of black pepper
- 15 black grapes, halved
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 handful of parsley, destalked and finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cucumber, roughly chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 Tbsp roasted pistachios (optional)
- Salt & pepper
FISH
- 1 whole side salmon, descaled and deboned
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander seed
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 pinches of salt
- 3 pinches of ground black pepper
- 3 pinches of black sesame seeds
- 10 mint leaves, chopped
Method
1. Put the couscous in a pan and add enough water to cover it by 5cm and boil for 10-15 minutes.
2. Drain and run cold water over the couscous to cool. Transfer into a bowl and mix the olive oil through the couscous to prevent it from clumping.
3. In a hot frying pan brown the garlic, cumin, fennel seeds and pepper in olive oil until golden brown. Transfer from the pan into a small bowl and set aside to cool. Using the same hot frying pan, toss the grapes over the heat until blistered. Finish by drizzling over the pomegranate molasses to glaze them.
4. In a large bowl, place both the blistered grapes and sautéed garlic and spices. Add the chopped parsley, spring onions, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon zest/ juice, dill, mint, sesame seeds and pistachios, and combine with the couscous. Gently mix through all the ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Take your salmon fillet and cut into 2.5cm cubes with skin on. Place into a large bowl with the olive oil and add all the other fish ingredients. Mix together.
6. Skewer the marinated salmon on soaked bamboo sticks, 4-5 pieces per skewer. Sprinkle with salt and barbeque for 2-3 minutes on each side.
7. Serve the salmon skewers with the couscous.
TIP: Remember to soak the bamboo skewers in water a couple of hours before barbequing so they don’t burn.