Salmon with Chutney
Over the holiday season last year, I began watching Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking series on BBC. Prior to that, I’ve never seen Nigel Slater the chef. He’s quite the prolific cookbook writer, but I only own Christmas Chronicles (my favorite book ever!) and of course I’ve read his autobiography, titled Toast; the movie based on the book was very good as well.
Watching Nigel Slater was exactly what I expected. He’s casual, comfortable, scruffy like a schoolboy who was just forced to get out of bed, and most of all, he doesn’t care much about measuring! The show opens to him, saying “I’m Nigel Slater. I don’t think cooking needs to be complicated.” Then later on in the show, “I’ve been cooking my whole life. But I’m still learning about new flavors. It’s so important to keep an open mind.” I love hearing a culinary professional making those claims.
In spite of his boyish charm, he’s very comfortable in front of the camera. Surprisingly, his house, assuming it really is his house, it’s quite prim and proper. If you follow Mr. Slater on Instagram, he will often show glimpses of home, and it’s tidy and simply decorated, almost from a previous century. The back yard of course contains a flourish of herb plants, but the rest is manicured topiaries. All quite a paradox, but perhaps necessary for balance.
During the first episode of the show, entitled Sweet and Sour, (all episodes are about pairings) he threw together a chutney with this and that thrown in, then topped it on salmon filets. I just had to try it!
I typically make chutneys in the fall, especially in anticipation of my Thanksgiving turkey, but chicken and pork also work well topped with chutney. Yet I’ve never considered any form of seafood with chutney.
If you’ve never made a chutney at any time of year, here is a good primer to go about customizing one to your tastes. Also, I made a strawberry chutney once that was incredible, and perfect during strawberry season.
I altered Mr. Slater’s recipe for only 2 salmon filets, to serve 2, but the amount of chutney I made would be perfect for 4 filets.
Salmon with Chutney
Slightly adapted
1 purple onion, sliced
1 small apple, unpeeled, thinly sliced
Handful of golden raisins
Handful of dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/4 apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
White pepper, to taste
Ground cinnamon, to taste
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 salmon filets at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Boil onions for about 15 minutes; they should be soft. Save about 1/4 cup of the onion water and drain the onions.
Place the onions in a medium baking dish. Sprinkle with the apple slices and top with dried fruits.
Drizzle on the vinegar and stir the mixture together with the brown sugar. Add the mustard seeds, white pepper, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion water.
Cover with foil and place the baking dish in the oven for 1 hour. After baking, remove from the oven and remove the foil.
Taste the chutney – you should taste sweet, sour, salt, tang.
For the salmon part, Mr. Slater pushed the oven temperature up to 350 degrees F, placed the salmon filets over the chutney, and placed the baking dish in the oven for ten minutes, uncovered.
Alternatively, prepare the salmon the following way: Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and cook in the skillet skin-up for a few minutes. Turn the filets over and turn down the heat to low. Turn the filets again and remove the skins. Flip one last time, turn off the stove, and let cook through on the bottom for a minute or so. Season tops of the filets again if needed.
To serve, lay filets side-by-side with the chutney, or top with chutney.
I served the salmon and chutney with plain white rice, which worked perfectly.
I will be making this again. The combination was fabulous.
Interesting! I can see how the sweet + tangy chutney would pair well with salmon. This is a great winter meal! And Christmas Chronicles is your favorite book ever?? I know you have a lot of books, so that really says a lot!
Honestly, I secretly wish I lived in London and could hang out with Nigel every day. I think we could be besties.
Great combination Mimi. We love Indian spiced salmon with mango chutney, so i know we’d like this one.
Exactly. And I almost added curry spices to the chutney, but I’m glad I resisted.
I’m with you. And the great thing about salmon is that you can do just about anything to it!
I really love the chutney ingredients. I have a feeling they’d go well with all sorts of things, but I love the unusual seafood pairing. Also, thanks for turning me onto this cool chef!
Oh my gosh yes! I had no idea he had a cooking show! He’s got a few from what I can tell. He just seems like a nice guy.
I should add that I think I saw him once on someone else’s show, and he seemed to cool … but then I forgot to follow up on it.
I have made so many of his recipes but have never seen him live — now I must! This salmon sounds so delicious and simple, like so many of his recipes. Thanks, Mimi —headed to YouTube to see can find!
I found him on Amazon Prime. Simple Cooking, and there’s another called maybe Simple Dinners? He’s wonderful!
I would have them on hand but I finally quit making them so often because I’m the only one who eats them! Great recipe, though.
now that’s interesting. I would never have thought to put chutney with salmon… I adore Nigel! His writing, his house, his recipes, his wonderful voice and calm manner. I have several of his books. I just love him:)
Love Nigel Slater too. So calm and interesting to watch. I especially love this chutney recipe- I bet it would also be spectacular over pork chops with the slight sweet, spice and aromatics.
I really altered his chutney recipe. If you want his recipe check this out!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/b01541yc
Very nice looks great.
Thanks! It was great.
This sounds absolutely divine!
Thanks! It really was.
I know! That’s why I definitely can’t bake! Great show, a very interesting chef.
Interesting, making the chutney in the oven. I will try it. I have never thought to serve it with salmon either. Thanks Mimi.
Me neither, and what a fabulous combination!
Love this, the combination of the sweet and sour chutney with salmon sounds delicious
It’s an incredible combination.
This is incredibly enticing, Mimi. I love salmon and I love chutney. Yet I have never thought of putting them together. This really does sound perfect! Easily a perfect combination!
It works so well I can’t believe I’ve never thought of it either!
TIL who Nigel Slater is.. gotta love a cook who doesn’t measure! Look forward to checking out his videos. Just saw one, a sausage sandwich for a lazy Sunday brunch. And I look forward to trying to make my own chutney. Never tried it!
I have a tutorial of sorts on making chutney if you’re interested. I’ve always made tons of them and never followed a recipe, just like this one. https://chefmimiblog.com/create-your-own-chutney/
I’ve made a lot of chutneys including an apple, onion and raisins one but have never made them bu baking. Can’t wait to try this.
I’ve never boiled onions and used onion water, either, although on the show he boiled whole shallots, then popped them out of their skins to make the chutney.
He’s really fascinating! I’m glad I discovered one of his shows.
Oh good! I’m so happy to help! Well, Nigel is, too.
Very interesting way of preparing chutney. Pairing it with salmon is also quite original. Your salmon is cooked to perfection! :)
Thank you.I’m a pro at cooking salmon! This recipe is wonderful
It was so good. You’ll just have to try it to see!
I hope you try it – it’s a truly fabulous combination!
I never would have thought to pair chutney with salmon, but it makes for an interesting combination. I would love to try it!
I know! But it works so so well.
Thank you! There was no need to bake the chutney – it all could have been done in a pot on the stove, but it’s good to know it worked!
Love salmon served just about any way. Never made many chutneys but I see where your recipe would work really nice and add lots of great flavor and texture :)
The combination was incredible. I never would have thought to pair them that way!