Author Notes: In these dish Anchovies are playing a double role: they add an unusually fragrant aroma and a marinated flavor to the roasted salmon and also a delicate saltiness to the sauce.
I call the mayo-based sauce in this recipe Tzatziki because it has a few ingredients which are usually used in the classical Greek sauce.
You can serve the roasted salmon warm with the sauce as a main course or cold as a delicious appetizer, and if you’ll have some leftover salmon and sauce, they will make a wonderful salad.
—Kukla
Serves: 6 as a main course or 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
For the Anchovy Mayonnaise Tzatziki
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• 3/4 cup the best quality mayonnaise
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• 2 flat anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and very finely minced, preferable to paste consistency
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• 1/2 of a medium red onion, finely diced
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• 1 large garlic clove, grated on a microplane
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• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
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• 2-3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
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• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
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• Lemon juice to taste, about 3 teaspoons
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• A little Kosher salt (if needed) and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
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• 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
For the roasted salmon
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• About 1 3/4 to 2 pounds fresh salmon fillet with the skin
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• About 1/2 tin flat anchovy fillets in olive oil, well drained
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• Kosher salt to taste and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
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• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Directions
For the Anchovy Mayonnaise Tzatziki
- In a small bowl combine the diced onion with apple cider vinegar, let stand for about 15 minutes; then place all the ingredients in a larger bowl and mix until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
For the roasted salmon
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Evenly coat the bottom of a ceramic baking dish (large enough to fit the whole salmon fillet and then to serve in it) with 1 tablespoon oil. Using paper towels, dry well the fish; brush the top of the salmon with the remaining oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper and then place it in the baking dish.
- With a sharp knife, carefully make incisions crosswise only in the flash of the fillet about 1-inch apart, try not to piers the skin and place 1 anchovy fillet into each incision. Transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for exactly 20 minutes.
- Remove the fish from the oven, allow to cool slightly and serve warm, garnished with the Anchovy Mayonnaise Tzatziki, thin slices of the remaining red onion, herbs and lemon wedges.