The generosity of friends and chickens

Many years ago I was lucky enough to meet a lady called Pam who owns a catering company (onsight@indigo.net.au ) at the time specialised in catering functions on boats.  These days she caters mostly for land based functions and continues to produce some fabulous fish dishes amongst her great repertoire. 

This recipe she generously shared with me after serving the dish to my staff one Christmas.  I have since been producing this fish for my family most Christmases since.  But don’t keep it just for Christmas, any reason to cook it will do.  A whole fish looks grand as a centrepiece and isn’t difficult at all.  You just require something big enough to cook it in. 

Honey Baked Salmon

For 10 people

2.5 to 3 kg Salmon or Ocean Trout, Scaled, gutted and cleaned

100ml Honey

¼ cup white Miso from your Asian food store

1 ½ tablespoon sesame oil

1 bunch fresh coriander

Wash and wipe salmon with paper towel.  Using a sharp knife, cut 3 slits on both sides of the salmon and place on a large sheet of oiled foil in a baking dish or large tray.

Combine honey, miso, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of water until smooth.  Spoon ½ honey mixture into the fish cavity with 3 sprigs of coriander.  Pour remaining mixture over the salmon.  Wrap foil loosely around the fish and fold edges together to seal.

Bake at 180c for 45 to 60 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.  Or pop a sure through the foil into the fish and if the tip comes out warm the fish is cooked. 

We have cooked this fish on the barbecue as a standard oven can be too small to take a whole fish, just make sure the base of the tray doesn’t catch with the direct heat, either turn the fish once or place the tray on a pizza stone or terracotta tile.

Strain pan juices and drizzle over salmon, then sprinkle with coriander leaves.

Serve the fish either warm or at room temperature.

In answer to your questions about the still un named chickens – yes they are laying, although it seems one lays every day, one lays every second day and the third (if I knew which one that was) is heading for the pot.  So we are getting more than enough eggs for our use but still not enough to bring to our Sydney friends.. but they are working on it!

Love

Mary