The online magazine
dedicated to the
discussion & revival
of British foodways.

NO.72
FALL/WINTER2023

Salmon baked with a smear of English mustard, malt vinegar & herbs.

This is one of those recipes from Terry Edwards and George Craig that is embarrassing, embarrassing because the composition seems so simple and sublime that we should feel foolish for failing to create it first. Edwards and Craig deserve all the credit. For four.


Colemans-Mustard.jpg

 

  • a 4-5 lb boneless salmon filet with its skin, scoured for pin bones
  • 1 teaspoon (or more) malt vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons prepared English mustard (like Colman’s)
  • 3 Tablespoons minced mint
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens
  • good salt (like Malden) and pepper

 


Preheat the oven to 325˚.

  1. Stir the vinegar into the mustard; mix together the herbs, salt and pepper.
  2. Flop the salmon skin down onto a cookie sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper.
  3. Smear the salmon with the mustard mix, then evenly top it with the herb mix, pressing the herbs gently into the mustard.
  4. Bake the salmon ten minutes for each inch of thickness, more or less, depending on how rare you like your salmon.

Notes:

-The original recipe, from Cooking For Friends by Edwards and Craig, unfortunately does not specify whether the mustard is dry or prepared, but the small proportion of vinegar indicates they may mean to call for prepared mustard.

-Their recipe adds tarragon to the mix; add it if you like it.

-If you dislike tarragon or mint, skip them both and substitute rosemary.

-Salmon is a flaky fish and therefore easy to test with a slim blade for determining how much it has cooked.

-The dish goes well with braised cucumber; our recipe appears in the practical.

-….and boiled new potatoes of course. Nobody requires a recipe for that, although we simmer ours in chicken stock, drain them, then paint them with butter and parsley.