Earl Grey tea has a slight smokiness, and is aromatic and zesty with bergamot oil, said Martha Collison. These characteristics make it a perfect complement to the richness of fresh salmon. Marinating the fish in tea and citrus zest creates a unique flavour that is sure to be a talking point. Loose-leaf tea works best here, but tea bags will be fine if you don't have any to hand.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
- 2 tbsp loose-leaf Earl Grey tea (or 3 teabags)
- 250ml (9fl oz) boiling water
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 lemon, zested and sliced
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- side of salmon, skin on (about 800g/1lb 12oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1⁄2 tsp soft light-brown sugar
Method
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- For the marinade, brew the loose-leaf tea or 2 of the teabags in the measured hot water for 4-5 minutes. Strain into a shallow container that is large enough to fit your salmon fillet and set the soaked tea leaves to one side (discard the teabags).
- Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, then add half the orange zest, half the lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of the sea salt flakes. Stir until the salt has dissolved, then lay the salmon in the marinade, skin-side up.
- Chill and allow the flavours to penetrate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a baking tray with baking parchment or foil and drizzle with half marinade, allowing any excess to drip off, and place on the prepared baking tray, skin-side down.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining citrus zest and sea salt flakes with the brown sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved soaked tea leaves (or half the contents of the remaining dry teabag), then massage this mixture over the flesh of the salmon. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, then arrange the lemon slices across the top of the salmon.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through, opaque and flakes away when pressed with a knife. Serve hot or cold, with your chosen accompaniments. I like to serve this with fresh green salad and crusty bread or potatoes.
Taken from "Pull Up a Chair by Martha Collison", published by Kyle Books. To buy from The Week Bookshop, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
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