- 4 preserved lemons, cut in quarters, pips and flesh discarded
- 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 kilo fresh salmon filet
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 200g Israeli couscous (petitim)
- 180g frozen green peas
- 200g fine green beans, trimmed and cut in half
- Large handful green olives, roughly chopped
- 25g fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 25g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 220 C (450 F)
In the food processor, process together the preserved lemon rind, thyme, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, until you have a paste of sorts, set aside.
Line a large baking tray with aluminium foil, place the salmon fillet skin side down on the tray, cover the salmon with preserved lemon paste. Bake the salmon on the top tiers of the oven for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillet) until the salmon is just cooked through.
While the salmon cooks, prepare the rest of the salad ingredients: bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, once boiling add the Israeli couscous and cook for 3 minutes, then add the peas and the beans and cook for a further 4 minutes. Drain the couscous, beans and peas, and while still hot add a tablespoon of olive oil and mix well to keep everything from sticking together.
To assemble the salad, place couscous mix in a large bowl, add the olives, mint and parsley and the lemon juice and toss together. Lay out the mix on a large platter and top with salmon that you have flaked off the skin, serve hot or at room temperature.
Note: this whole dish can be made a day ahead of time, just keep the cooked salmon whole until ready to use. Keep the couscous, peas and beans that have been coated in the olive oil, in a separate container. Bring the salmon and couscous to room temperature, add the olives, herbs and lemon just before ready to serve.
