Mexican spiced salmon

Here’s one of my fave ways to use my Mexican-style spice rub. It’s great for giving salmon a really different taste, and it stops my family from complaining about having to eat it too often!

The rub also works equally well on any other fish though, or chicken, turkey, tofu, and halloumi - it’s super versatile. It’s a handy blend to have in your cupboard for a quick flavour boost and a good one for summer too as it’s great for seasoning BBQ food.

But before we get to recipes, here’s a few reasons why salmon may be so good for us:

It is high in healthy fats, such as omega-3s, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which are understood to be:

• anti-inflammatory and essential for maintaining overall health. Chronic inflammation is linked to various health conditions, including heart disease, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders. Omega-3s may also support immune function by enhancing the activity of immune cells.

• vital for brain function and development. Omega 3 is a key component of cell membranes in the brain and helps support cognitive function, memory, and overall mental health. Some studies suggest that omega-3s may also reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. They also play a role in neurotransmitter production, the chemicals that send signals in our brain, such as serotonin, dopamine, and adrenalin, which regulate mood.

• important for heart health and may reduce the risk of heart disease. They can help lower triglycerides, reduce blood pressure, prevent plaque buildup in arteries, and decrease the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.

• helpful for joint pain and stiffness as they may decrease inflammation and improve overall joint function.

• helpful for maintaining the integrity and barrier function of the skin. Omega 3s can help reduce inflammation associated with skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis and may also promote wound healing.

Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring contain the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and the NHS recommends eating at least one portion of them a week, plus a portion of non-oily fish. There are also vegan sources of omega-3s, including flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts, but they may be less bioavailable as they are in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which needs to then be converted to EPA and DHA.

ingredients

Serves 4

• 500g salmon fillet

• 1 tbsp Mexican-style spice rub

• A handful of spring onions or cherry tomatoes

• 1-2tsp extra virgin olive oil

• A good pinch of sea salt

• 1 lemon

Mexican-style spice rub (mix all the ingredients together)

Fills a 15cl IKEA Rajtan spice jar

• 1/2 cup chili powder

• 1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder (available widely online if you can get it at the supermarket)

• 1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle chile pepper

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.

• Place the salmon on a baking tray lined with parchment.

• Rub ½-1tbsp of the spice mix all over the salmon.

• Put the vegetables in the tray around the fish.

• Drizzle everything with olive oil and add a pinch of salt.

• Place in the oven for 20-25 min and serve with a green salad, roasted potatoes, and a squeeze of lemon.

Summer pea & asparagus pasta

If you’re looking for a light and easy summer pasta dish, this is it! The peas and asparagus make a lovely change from tomato based sauces, especially at this time of year.

I’ve used asparagus as it is still just about in season (and I love it), but going into the summer you could swap for courgettes. I would chop and add them to the pan 5 minutes after the onions, so they’re almost cooked before adding the peas.

Another addition would be a sprig of mint, although I would probably use half the amount of the other herbs, so as not to dominate. A back-note of mint would be really nice and fresh.

I’ve used trofie pasta (posh!) this time as I happened to see it in my local deli, but you can use any kind of dried or fresh pasta. I also love this sauce with wholemeal if you’re feeling virtuous!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 small onion, chopped finely

• 300g frozen peas

• 4 large stalks of basil, chopped

• 4 large stalks of parsley, chopped

• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon in 250ml water

• 250g asparagus, stalks chopped, top 2” reserved

• 60g parmesan, grated finely

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ small lemon

• 2-3 tbsp half fat crème fraîche or double cream, optional

• 450g pasta - whichever you prefer

Method

• First heat ½ tbsp extra virgin olive in a medium sized saucepan then fry the onion gently for 10 minutes.

• Cook the pasta as the packet instructions - usually around 10 minutes in boiling water. Put a steamer on top of the pasta pan and cook the asparagus tips. Or you can gently pan fry in butter for extra flavour.

• Next add the garlic, 250g peas and chopped asparagus stalks, fry gently for approx 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until defrosted.

• Pour 250ml of boiling water in a jug and stir in the vegetable bouillon, pour into the pea mix with the basil and parsley (including stalks). Blitz with a hand blender thoroughly until smooth, this will take 5 minutes or so.

• Next add the remaining peas, 40g parmesan and salt. Heat the sauce gently so the peas warm through.

• Add the crème fraîche at this point, If you’re using it.

• Serve with the remaining parmesan, top with the asparagus tips and a good crack of black pepper.

Lemon, chill & garlic courgettes

How good is seasonal veg? It's the courgette's turn to be ready for picking at the moment and these beauties from my friend's allotment tasted amazing. I griddled them and made a simple dressing as they really don't need many additions when they're this good. Below is a very straightforward recipe that you can either eat as a side dish, or add to pasta to make a main.

Ingredients

• 4 large courgettes, cut in half and slice reasonably thinly

• Juice of 2 lemons

• 1 small ish clove garlic

• 1 fresh red chilli or 1/2-1 tsp dried depending on how you like your heat levels

• seasoning

Method

• Brush one side of each courgette with olive oil and season.

• Get the griddle very hot.

• Place the courgettes on rows along the pan and sizzle for a few minutes until they have griddle lines and are partially softened. You'll need to do a few batches as they wont all fit in the pan.

• Brush the side facing up with olive oil and turn to cook.

• Place in a warmed dish while you cook the rest.

• Meanwhile make the dressing by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing together. couldn't be easier. Once all the courgettes are cooked, dress and serve.

Tip

• We had this dish with BBQ roast chicken and minted new potatoes, which was delicious on a hot Sunday evening. Great alternative roast dinner!

• Another great alternative would be to cook some tagliatelle, make a bit more dressing, mix with the courgettes and a big handful of parmesan.

BBQ salmon with lemon & dill yoghurt dressing

We all love a BBQ don't we? There's nothing better than eating outside on the sunny day, drinking a few beers. One fine day last week I bought a side of salmon, Greek yoghurt, dill, some salad and set about making one of the tastiest and best looking BBQ dinners ever! Nothing too complicated, but it was just a really nice combo.

Salmon works really well on the grill as it's quite a firm, oily fish, so it stays together rather than flaking like cod. Make sure you get a piece with the skin still on. We had it with a yoghurt, dill, lemon and cucumber dressing; caprese salad and some fresh green leaves.

Serves 4

BBQ Salmon

Ingredients

• 500g half side salmon
• Bunch parsley
• 2 lemons / zest one of them

Cucumber & lemon yoghurt

• 5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• Olive oil

Method

• Turn the salmon skin side up and make about 3 or 4 diagonal slashes across it.
• Push in a mixture of chopped parsley, lemon zest and some small thin slices of lemon; rub lightly with olive oil on both sides and set to one side while the BBQ coals go white and ready for cooking.
• Peel the cucumber; chop in half and take the watery seeds out of the middle. Grate the rest of the cucumber and put in a sieve for the water to drain out for around 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with a little salt to help this process along, give it a squeeze with your hands from time to time. Dehydrating the cucumber in this way will make the dressing less watery and more flavoursome.  
• Place the fish on the grill skin side down and cook for around 4/5 minutes depending on how hot your grill is. It is a little hard to be precise with timings as BBQs are a bit of a law unto themselves! They're all so different. 
• Gently turn over the fish with a metal spatula and allow to cook for a further 4/5 minutes. Lift the skin and take a peak inside the flesh to check it is cooked. 

Lemon & cucumber dressing

• Mix together the yoghurt, fully squeezed out cucumber, juice of one lemon, plus zest to taste and season.
• Spinkle in some chopped dill, again, to taste and there you have a super fresh dressing for the salmon which lifts the whole dish. 

spicy chicken marinade

I made this chicken over the weekend for an impromptu BBQ when the sun was shining, and even though I say so myself, it was really bloody good! Early in the afternoon, I had a look in the fridge and found chicken thighs, Greek yogurt, and all the spices I needed in my cupboard.  I even had some leftover BBQ coals from last year. A minor miracle to organise a spontaneous BBQ and find you have all the things you need without making a dash to the supermarket.

I decided to make a couple of marinades, one spicy and one the kids could handle. Having a massive pot of yoghurt in the fridge I made this the basis for both.

I love using yoghurt to marinade meat. Its natural active bacteria breaks down the protein making the chicken moist and tender. The lactic acid in yoghurt also acts as a gentle tenderiser. It is much milder than citric acid and works a little slower, but this means it is unlikely to act too strongly making the meat mushy. You can leave the meat in the marinade for longer to gain flavour, but not lose texture.

As you can see from the photo, I made a simple salad with a yogurt and dill dressing, red cabbage slaw, roasted red peppers, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs (mine were skinless, but it doesn’t matter either way)

• 5 tablespoons of plain yoghurt (I used greek-style)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon Ras al Hanout

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you don’t like it hot)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

• Juice of 1 lemon, slice up the remains

• Large pinch of black pepper

Method

Get a large mixing bowl and put all the marinade ingredients into it, mixing thoroughly, including the lemon slices. Add the chicken and leave to marinate in the fridge for up to 12 hours. The longer the better, basically, but after 3 hours mine was really good.

Either fire up the BBQ and grill these outdoors, or use an iron griddle or frying pan to cook indoors if need be. My chicken thighs were quite small, so they only took about 6 minutes a side to cook. To be on the safe side, I always slice open one piece of chicken to make sure it is cooked through.

Tip

Serve with a Moroccan roasted red pepper and a green salad, red cabbage slaw and some sunshine.

If the weather is bad, these chicken thighs can be cooked on an iron griddle or frying pan; this method works equally well. Cooking times are the same.