Salmon with Almond and Lime Crumb

I miss New Zealand Salmon. The King Pacific variety we sell is absolutely gorgeous. However, I've been impressed with Scottish Salmon. It's milder in flavour and colour, but firm, and works well with my almond and lime crumb. So, it'll hold the fort for now, but do try New Zealand Salmon. It takes the cake. Recipe follows!

Ingredients (for 4)

4 Fillets of Fresh Wild Salmon (skin on!)

16 Asparagus Stalks, woody ends broken off

For the Crumb

2 Cups of Raw Almonds

1/2 Cup Wholegrain Breadcrumb

Skin of half a Lime, cut into slivers

Juice of 1 Lime

1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

Olive oil

Flaked Sea Salt

Cracked Pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Take a third of the almonds. Put them in the blender with the breadcrumbs and the lime skin, then pulse until fine and consistent. Move the mixture from the blender to a dry frying pan. Take the 2nd third of almonds and chop with a knife until it's as fine as you can get it, then put it into the frying pan. Finally, take the last of the almonds, roughly chop and then transfer to the pan.

To that, add the paprika and oregano. Mix it all together, then spread it out over the frying pan. Drizzle it with olive oil, about 2-3 tablespoons and the lime juice. Turn it to a medium low heat, and gently toast, moving and mixing the mixture. When it's gently browned and crumbly, with a bit of fragrance, take it off the heat. Lightly salt with sea salt and crack in some pepper. Try a little bit, add some more salt or pepper if it needs it.

Tear off four square sheets of baking paper and scrunchy them into balls. Unwrap them into little crinkly baskets. Boil a kettle full of water and blanch your asparagus for 1 minute in a shallow tray. Drain, then put four in each paper basket.

Dry the salmon skin with a paper towel. Salt it lightly with sea salt.

Clean the pan, then get it to a ripping hot heat. Pour in a little olive oil, then fry the hell out of the skin until crispy. It'll take a fair bit heat. Try not to move it around too much. Once each is crispy, move it on top of the asparagus. Make sure they're set apart - they'll lift the skin off the paper and help maintain that crust!

Sprinkle each salmon piece with the generous helping of the crumb, then put in the oven for 10 minutes or until cooked. (There is a fine line, don't overdo it!)

Once done, take out of the oven and get stuck into the delicious, nutty, citrus flavours.

Enjoy!