Chermoula Salmon & Chickpeas

📝 Ingredients

• 2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 130 g each)
• 1 tin chickpeas (265 g drained)
• 1 red pepper + 1 yellow pepper (about 150 g each)
• 1 red onion (about 120 g)
• 20 g fresh coriander + 20 g fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 unwaxed lemon (zest and juice)
• 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 3 tbsp olive oil (2 for the chermoula, 1 for the vegetables)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Bowl
• Cutting board and knife
• Fine grater
• Large frying pan
• Non-stick frying pan
• Spatula

📖 Steps

1. Make the chermoula: finely chop the coriander and parsley (including the tender stalks), grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice. Peel and crush the garlic. Mix everything in a bowl with the cumin, paprika, 2 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and some pepper.
2. Pat the salmon fillets dry with kitchen paper and place them in a shallow dish. Brush the flesh with a third of the chermoula, keeping the skin dry so it crisps up. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes, no longer: the acidity of the lemon would end up 'cooking' the flesh.
3. Meanwhile, deseed the peppers and cut them into 1 cm strips, peel the red onion and slice it thinly. Drain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water, then dry them in a clean tea towel so they brown rather than stew.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the peppers and onion for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until tender and lightly coloured at the edges. Season lightly with salt.
5. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes over a medium heat, stirring from time to time, so they warm through and brown a little. Off the heat, stir in half of the remaining chermoula, mix and cover to keep warm.
6. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, without any fat: the skin releases its own fat and the chermoula already contains oil. Place the fillets skin-side down and cook for 4 minutes without touching them, until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque halfway up.
7. Carefully turn the fillets with a fish slice, lower to a medium heat and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes: the centre should stay slightly pink and the flesh should flake when pressed with a finger. Overcooked salmon becomes dry.
8. Divide the chickpea mixture between two plates, place a salmon fillet on top, crispy skin facing up, and spoon over the rest of the chermoula. Add a grind of black pepper and serve straight away.