This is a regular lunch or supper at casa mia, as anyone who follows me on Twitter

or Instagram will recognise. I sometimes poach the salmon and keep it in the fridge
(see tips), just so that I can make it even faster when the need hits. It’s quick
work anyway, so this is more of an aside than a piece of advice.
By Nigella Lawson
From Simply Nigella

Shopping list

Preparation time

less than 30 mins

Cooking time

30 mins to 1 hour

Serves

Serves 2
Ingredients
For the salmon

2 wild Alaskan salmon fillets (approximately 250g/9oz total)

2 spring onions, trimmed
1 tsp black peppercorns
2½ tsp lime juice
2 tsp sea salt flakes

For the salad

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

100g/3½oz watercress
1 tsp organic cloudy apple cider vinegar
1 small ripe avocado
1 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt flakes, or to taste

Recipe tipsHow-to-videos
Method

Put the salmon fillets in a small frying pan (I use one with a 20cm/8in
diameter) and cover with cold water from the tap. Add the spring onions and
peppercorns, squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle in the salt, then bring to the
boil, uncovered. When the pan is bubbling, turn the fillets over, then remove the
pan from the heat and leave to stand for 7 minutes. Then take the fillets out of
the liquid and leave to cool completely, which could take up to 1 hour. Once cool,
the salmon will be cooked through, with its flesh desirably tender and coral
inside.

While the salmon’s cooling, make a start on the salad. Toast the pumpkin seeds
by tossing them in a dry, heavy-based frying pan on the hob. They will start
jumping a little, and will darken and get a smokier taste. It doesn’t take long to
toast them, so don’t leave the pan and, indeed, keep giving it a quick swirl. Then
transfer to a cold plate.

When you’re ready to unite salmon with salad, put the watercress into a large
shallow bowl, sprinkle with the vinegar, and toss. Now add the salmon, removing the
skin and tearing the fish into bite-sized pieces or shreddy bits, as you wish.
 Halve the avocado and remove the stone, then spoon the flesh out onto the
salmon and watercress, or cut it into slices if you prefer. Drizzle the oil over
the salad, sprinkle with the salt and half of the toasted pumpkin seeds, and toss
gently to mix. Scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds on top, and eat.

Recipe Tips

The salmon can be cooked up to 3 days ahead. Cool for up to 1 hour, then cover and
refrigerate until needed.

I like to use wild Alaskan salmon, which accounts for the vivid hue here. It
doesn’t have an exceedingly strong taste and it isn’t as expensive as wild Scottish
salmon.

If you have half an avocado that needs using up, you can put it to excellent use
here, as you don’t really need a whole one if this is to feed only two of you.

I love our British cold-pressed rapeseed oil, but should that not be available,
please don’t make the mistake of using regular vegetable oil in its place, but
rather reach for good extra-virgin olive oil instead.