Crispy salmon with veggie broth

I had a request from a friend; 'fish, no carbs dish please'. It is the perfect time of year for this request, one is spoilt for choice with spring vegetables. Fresh board beans, fresh peas, green beans and fennel are in order for this dish. This is Jamie Oliver's 'Crispy salmon with spring vegetable broth'. The recipe suggests chicken or vegetable stock, I would go with the vegetable stock for a cleaner taste, I find the chicken stock takes away from the salmon.

Jamie also serves his crispy salmon with aïoli, a fragrant type of homemade mayonnaise. I prefer mine without, but the choice it yours. Below is the recipe for the aïoli if you'd like to add it. The crispy crunchy skin from the salmon perfectly complements the butter soft fresh spring vegetable. Enjoy!


Aïoli 
Ingredients
half a small clove of garlic, peeled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk, preferably free-range or organic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
285ml extra virgin olive oil
285ml olive oil
lemon juice, to taste

Method
Smash up the garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt in a pestle and mortar (or use the end of a rolling pin in a metal bowl).

Place the egg yolk and mustard in a bowl and whisk together, then start to add your oils bit by bit. Once you’ve blended in a quarter of the oil, you can start to add the rest in larger amounts.

When it’s all gone in, add the garlic and lemon juice and any extra flavours (see above).
To finish off, season to taste with salt, pepper and a bit more lemon juice, if needed.

Crispy Salmon and Spring vegetable broth
Ingredients
425ml chicken or vegetable stock, lightly seasoned
4 baby bulbs of fennel, stalks removed and herby tops reserved
2 x 170–225g salmon steaks, scored
1 small handful of fresh mint, ripped
1 small handful of fresh basil, leaves picked
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
50g green beans, tops removed
50g podded broad beans
50g podded peas

Method
First, make the aïoli. If you are having it.
Then bring your stock to the boil in a large pan then add your fennel and allow this to boil for 4 minutes while you heat up a non-stick frying pan.
Take your salmon steaks and pat the salmon steaks with a little olive oil, season and place skin-side down in the frying pan. Leave them for 2 minutes to get really crispy then check how they're doing. They'll want around 4 minutes on the skin side and 1 minute on the other. You'll get an idea of how they're cooking as you'll see the salmon change colour.

When the fennel has had 4 minutes, add the green beans and broad beans. Give them a further 2 minutes. By this time you will probably want to turn over the salmon steaks for their last minute. Add the peas to the other veg and cook for a final 2 minutes.

Don't be tempted to overcook the salmon – remove it from the heat. Divide the vegetables between 4 bowls, rip over the mint and basil, ladle over some of your hot cooking stock and place the salmon on top. Serve with a dollop of aïoli, if you are using it.

Serves 4.