The presentation of this fish is perfect for a buffet. Use a Japanese mandoline to shave the fennel. Ask your fishmonger to fillet the fish and remove the pin bones. If you do this yourself, to remove the pin bones, use a pair of fish tweezers or just a clean pair of regular cosmetic tweezers or pliers. Yield is 12 servings.
Directions for: Whole Roasted Salmon
Ingredients
1 8 oz whole Atlantic salmon, scaled
4 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for baking dish
6 shallots, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 whole leeks, 1 whole, 1 sliced thinly into rounds
1 bulb fennel, shaved
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bunch spinach, washed, cooked, cooled and seasoned
2 tsp lemon zest
Lemon juice, to taste
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp fennel seeds toasted and crushed
2 Tbsp coriander seeds toasted and crushed
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. You can get your fishmonger to prepare the salmon for you if you like. If you fillet the fish yourself, here's how: keeping the skin intact, remove the fillets from each side of the salmon and set aside. Remove the pin bones from the fillets with tweezers. Discard the back, head, tail and pin bones.
3. In a medium saute pan, heat 3 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the shallots and sliced leeks and saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
5. Add the fennel and the garlic and continue to saute until vegetables are tender but not browned, about 6 to 8 minutes longer.
6. Add the spinach and 1 tsp. lemon zest and stir.
7. Season the mixture with some lemon juice, salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
9. Blanch whole leek until tender, about 4 minutes.
10. Remove with tongs and refresh in a bowl of ice water to cool.
11. Season the insides of the fish fillets with salt and pepper, half the crushed fennel and coriander seeds, and the remaining lemon zest.
12. Put one of the fillets, skin-side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
13. Spread the spinach and fennel on the fillet to cover the surface.
14. Put the other fillet on top, flesh-side down.
15. Pull the layers of the blanched leek apart to make ties.
16. Tie 4 together to get a longer piece.
17. Make 3 more ties.
18. Tie the stuffed fillets 4 times at equal intervals to hold in the stuffing and put the fillets in an oiled baking dish.
19. Season the salmon well and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil.
20. Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining crushed seeds and put it in the oven.
21. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until fish is firm and just cooked through.
22. To serve, slice the salmon crosswise.
23. Garnish with the lemon wedges.
See more: Side, Roast, Fish, Dinner, Main