Za'atar Salmon & Tahini
December 21, 2021

Za'atar Salmon & Tahini

"If you haven’t yet paired fish with tahini, then you’re in for a real treat. This version combines tahini with herbaceous za’atar and sour sumac, our ever familiar but much treasured test kitchen staples." This recipe comes from Ottolenghi's new book Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love

 
INGREDIENTS
4 salmon fillets (1 lb 5 oz/600g), skin on and pin bones removed
2 tbsp za’atar
2 tsp sumac, plus ½ tsp extra for sprinkling
4 tbsp (60ml) olive oil
9 oz (250g) baby spinach
⅓ c (90g) Seed + Mill Organic Tahini
3 garlic cloves, minced
3½ tbsp lemon juice
1½ tbsp roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Salt & black pepper, to taste

STEPS
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Pat dry the salmon and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the za’atar and sumac, then sprinkle this all over the top of the salmon to create a crust.
3. Place a large, oven-safe sauté pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the spinach and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes, until just wilted.
4. Top with the salmon, skin side down, and drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tablespoons of oil. Bake for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, garlic, 2½ tablespoons of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt, and 7 tablespoons/100ml of water until smooth and quite runny.
6. When ready, remove the pan from the oven and pour the tahini all around the salmon (but not on the fish at all). Bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the tahini is bubbling. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and oil over everything and top with the cilantro and extra sumac.

Make it your own:

- Swap out the salmon for other sustainably caught fish, adjusting cooking times as needed.
- Use other leafy greens in place of spinach, such as kale or chard.

Serves 4