Apricot Harissa Salmon Traybake

This all-in-one salmon tray bake recipe makes a perfect mid-week supper and is so delicious you can also serve it when you are entertaining. It is flavoured with lovely warming Persian spices and packed with plenty of delicious vegetables.

Apricot Harissa paste is the magic ingredient, and the fruitiness of the apricot slightly tones down the harissa heat, which makes this a quick and easy dish, which is both delicious as well as family-friendly.

Salmon is abundant in omega-3 fat and this recipe is rich in polyphenol veggies with both having anti-inflammatory properties. The cauliflower is a hormone-friendly vegetable from the cruciferous family.

Serve it on a bed of cooked mixed grains, rice or quinoa and scatter some pomegranate seeds, pistachio nuts and a few torn parsley or coriander leaves on it all with a flourish!

Apricot Harissa Salmon Traybake

• 170 g Apricot Harissa ((if you are being generous!))
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Cauliflower
• 2 Courgette
• 2 Bell Peppers ((red, ideally Romano))
• 400 g Salmon ((fillet))
• Salt ((pinch))

1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan.
2. Mix the apricot harissa and olive oil in a small bowl to make a harissa dressing.
3. Chop the cauliflower into small florets and scatter into a large roasting tray and drizzle over two heaped tablespoons of the harissa dressing. Pop into the oven to roast for 15 mins.
4. Meanwhile, slice the courgette into rounds and chop the red pepper into 2cm pieces. Set aside.
5. Rub 1 tbsp of dressing over the salmon and set aside.
6. After the cauliflower has roasted for 15 mins, add the peppers and courgettes to the roasting tray along and coat with the remaining harissa dressing, plus a good pinch of salt, and toss everything together. Pop back into the oven for 20 mins.
7. Then add the salmon and roast for a final 15 minutes.

• I love using one pot of Belazu Apricot Harissa (170g) which you can pick up in most large supermarkets and online. To make your own, soak a tablespoon of raisins and six diced dried apricots in a little balsamic vinegar for 20 minutes, and then blend up into a paste with one tablespoon of olive oil, one clove garlic, a teaspoon of Ras El Hanout, a teaspoon of smoked sweet Paprika and a little crushed dried chilli.
• For very young children or those who are not keen on spice only use 2 tablespoons of apricot harissa with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the whole recipe.
• Merchant Gourmet sell pouches of ready-cooked mixed grains including Quinoa, Freekah, Wheatberries, Barley and/or Wholegrain Rice. You can also make up your own blends of cooked grains to include quinoa, rice, millet, buckwheat and amaranth and simply cook them as per the packet instructions.
• Switch salmon for lamb, chicken or butter beans if you prefer.
• You could serve the traybake with a dish of Greek yoghurt to dial down the spice even more for little ones.
• Store in the fridge and eat as leftovers for up to three days.

Main Courses

Dairy-free, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Low-sugar, Nut-free