Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Relish and Kipfler Potatoes

I have to admit, I don't cook fish often enough.  I do tend to lean towards meat or chicken because when I think of what I feel like eating they always seem to come to mind first.  It is often difficult to know what will go with fish and I think I have found the answer with this number.  It is a clean simple dish that is packed full of herby flavours that will linger long after you have finished.  Paired with a fruity Sav Blanc it is quite simply "sensational"!

You will need:

Serves 4

4 Salmon fillets, skin on
8 kipfler potatoes, skin on and washed
1 lebanese cucumber, halved, seeds removed and sliced thinly
1/2 a cup of mint leaves
1/2 a cup of coriander leaves
1/2 a cup of chopped dill
1 french shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tsp of castor sugar
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Place the washed potatoes in a saucepan with water and bring to the boil.  Boil the potatoes for approx 15 minutes or until just tender.

Place all the herbs in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt and pound away until they become all bruised and pasty.  If you don't have a mortar and pestle you can just roughly chop them altogether.  Add the shallots and continue to pound a few times before adding the cucumber slices.  Bash them around a bit too just so they soften and all the flavours meld together.  Pour in the olive oil, vinegar and castor sugar and stir with a spoon until the sugar dissolves, sprinkle with a little more sea salt and cracked pepper and set aside.

To prepare the fish, heat a griddle pan or fry pan until nice and hot.  Rub the fish all over with a little olive oil and sprinkle the skin side quite generously with sea salt.  Place the fish in a hot pan, skin side down and fry for approx 5 minutes.  Turn the salmon over and fry for approx 2-3 minutes.  I like my salmon to be lovely and moist and just cooked so it melts in your mouth.  The skin should be beautiful and crispy.

Drain the potatoes, slice them and arrange them on four plates (2 per person).  Lay the salmon over the top and spoon over the cucumber chutney.  Drizzle the dressing around the plate and serve with a crisp green salad if you like.