Salmon with a Saffron and Couscous Crust

This recipe will take you on a culinary journey to North Africa, topped off with a little side-trip to Central Asia. Couscous is a staple food in the ardent regions around the Sahara desert. Their subtle taste makes these little grains of durum wheat semolina the ideal accompaniment for fish, meat and vegetable dishes, which are often rounded off with cumin, cardamom and saffron. This tender salmon filet cooked in a crispy coating of saffron-flavoured couscous will melt in your mouth and lets you experience the flavours of the Arabian Peninsula.

Ingredients

300	g	couscous
400	ml	dry white wine
2	pinches	saffron threads
		Salt
		Pepper	freshly ground
4		salmon fillets	150g each
2		eggs
	Some	flour
50	g	butter
		Lamb's lettuce
		Cherry tomatoes

Preperation

In a small pot, bring the white wine to the boil and then add the saffron, salt and pepper.

Put the couscous into a bowl and pour the hot wine mixture over it. Wait until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid, then fluff it up with a fork.

Whisk the eggs in a deep plate and sieve the flour onto a flat dinner plate.

Season the ready-to-cook salmon filets with salt and pepper, lightly coat them in flour (taking care to shake off all excess flour), then coat them in the egg mixture and finally in the couscous.

Pat the couscous layer down evenly with your hands so that the filets are fully coated.

Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190° C.

After chilling, dot the fish with flakes of butter and bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness).

If necessary, put the filets under the grill for 3 minutes at the end of their cooking time for a golden-brown crust.

Serve with lightly sautéed cherry tomatoes, lamb’s lettuce or a tomato and olive vinaigrette

Add some grated lemon zest to the couscous mixture.

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