Spiced Salmon Skewers with Parsley Oil

Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley

These skewers are quick and easy to prepare and a winner with all when served. Allow one skewer as a starter, or one or two for a main, bulked out with some rice and a green salad.

Getting ahead: You can get the salmon marinating a day ahead, if you like, ready to go on the skewers and be cooked. The parsley oil is also fine made a day ahead.

Equipment note: You will need six metal or wooden skewers (about 10 inches/25cm long). If wooden, soak them in water for 1 hour before using. 

Makes 6 skewers; serves six as a starter, or four as a main

• 1 3/4lb/800g salmon fillet, skinless and boneless, cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch/4cm chunks (ideally, you want 24 pieces of salmon)

• 1 tbsp Fish Spice Mix (recipe follows)

• 2 tsp sumac

• 3 1/2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

• 2 onions, halved lengthwise and each half quartered into 4 big chunks (10 1/2 oz/300g) 

Parsley oil

• 2 cups/40g parsley

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 6 tbsp/90ml olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 lemon

• 12 cherry tomatoes (about 5 1/4 oz/150g)

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Put the salmon into a large bowl along with the fish spice mix, sumac, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 3/4 tsp of salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Mix well to combine, then set aside in the fridge for 1 hour.

Put the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until they are slightly softened but have not taken on any color; don’t worry if they fall apart a little bit and are no longer whole chunks. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the parsley oil, put the parsley, garlic, olive oil, 1/4 tsp of salt, and a good grind of pepper into the small bowl of a food processor. Blitz for about 1 minute, until smooth, then transfer to a small bowl. Use a small, sharp knife to trim off the top and tail of the lemon. Cut down along its round curves, removing the skin and white pith. Release the segments by slicing between the membranes, then roughly chop the segments. Add these to the oil, stir well, and set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

To assemble the skewers, start with a tomato and then alternate the salmon chunks and onion pieces. If you have a thinner, end piece of salmon, fold it in half to form a sort of cube. Finish each skewer with a second tomato.

Place a well-greased grill pan over high heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once the grill pan is smoking hot, add the skewers, in two batches, and grill for 3–4 minutes, turning throughout so that all sides are charred. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and continue with the remaining skewers. Transfer to the oven and bake for 6–7 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked through. 

Transfer the skewers to a large serving platter (or individual serving plates) and drizzle with the parsley oil. Serve at once, with lemon wedges alongside.

Fish spice mix

Baharat samak

Makes 7 tsp

• 2 tsp ground cardamom

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 tsp paprika

Place all the spices in a bowl and mix well to combine. If making more than you need, transfer to a sealed container.