The unique combination of flavours and textures makes this dish an out-and-out winner

The fuss-free cooking method – all hail the traybake! – plus the dialled-up flavours – all hail puttanesca! – makes such a winning combination.

Salmon cooks wonderfully in the oven. Photography by Jonathan Lovekin

Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh

2 min read

2:05PMOctober 02, 2024

The Weekend Australian Magazine

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If you make the tomato anchovy oil a day ahead here, you can then delight in the fact that a midweek supper can be on the table within 20 minutes. The fuss-free cooking method – all hail the traybake! – plus the dialled-up flavours – all hail puttanesca! – makes such a winning combination.

Try too our mayo-free potato salad and our spicy chicken thigh tray bake

This is an edited extract from Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley.

Warming, tasting and easy. Salmon is an ideal ingredient for the oven. Photography by Jonathan Lovekin

Puttanesca-style salmon traybake

Ingredients

• 200g fine green beans, trimmed
• 6 spring onions, cut widthways into thirds
• 200g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 skin-on salmon fillets (about 720g)
• Salt and black pepper

Tomato anchovy oil

• 85ml olive oil
• 8 anchovies, finely chopped
• 2½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 8 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 2 preserved lemons, flesh and pips discarded, skin finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Salsa

• 60g pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 60g capers, roughly chopped
• 1 preserved lemon, flesh and pips discarded, skin thinly sliced
• 10g basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 10g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspons lemon juice

Method

1. First make the tomato anchovy oil. Put the oil, anchovies and tomato paste into a small sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Once the mixture starts to simmer, cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the chilli flakes and coriander seeds and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, preserved lemon and maple syrup. Stir to combine, then set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 220C (fan- forced). Place the beans, spring onions and tomatoes on a large, parchment-lined baking tray. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the tomato anchovy oil, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Toss to combine and place in the oven for 12 to 13 minutes, until the beans and tomatoes are starting to soften and taking on a little colour.
3. Meanwhile, arrange the salmon fillets on a plate and, using a spoon, drizzle the remaining tomato anchovy oil (as well as all the solids) evenly over the fillets. Once the beans and tomatoes have had their start in the oven, nestle the salmon fillets among them and bake for a further 8 minutes.
4. While the salmon is baking, mix all the ingredients for the salsa in a small bowl and season with a good grind of pepper; set aside.
5. When the salmon tray is done, set it aside for 5 minutes, out of the oven, to rest. Spoon half the salsa over the salmon and serve the fish warm (or at room temperature, which works just as well), with the rest of the salsa in a bowl on the side.

Serves 3-4