As the summer begins to wind down and a new year of work and study approaches, the possibilities for gastronomic creativity are for me about to reach their zenith, with autumn comes a wealth of substantial tastes, textures and experiences, from rare game to hearty pumpkins.
This week I plan to kick off this autumn with a slightly different concept, with a combination of scandinavian and near eastern tastes, in this case being; braised smoked salmon with sweet mustard and mahgrabi couscous with apple, portobello mushroom, seasonal tomato, hazelnuts and thyme. A culinary cultural clash of flavours which add context to a new season!
Cold-smoked salmon is a solid addition to any dish, when you braise it quickly at high heat you create a slightly more palpable outer coat to it, whilst still retaining it’s smokey and salty flavour. Simply serve with sweet mustard and thyme. Secondly prepare the couscous (Try to find the larger Mahgrebian variant) simmer in oil and let some vegetable stock cook up on the side; add the stock and allow it to boil down (circa 20min) and then drain. On the side, chop and sauté the portobello mushroom, dice the apples, tomatoes and crush the hazelnuts. When done, simply combine the mentioned ingredients and serve with the couscous and salmon.
Goes well with riesling!
Serves 4
400g Smoked Salmon (Braise)
Butter & Thyme
400g Mahgrebian Couscous
1 litre vegetable stock
Olive oil
1 Portobello mushroom
2 Apples
100g Hazelnuts
Spices of your choice
A simply, reasonably cheap yet utterly tasty recipe which offers a slightly different alternative to you’re standard fare!
Enjoy!
