Blend Magazine

This Michael Daly original recipe is based on a new cuisine that is taking New Zealand by storm “Trans-Tasman Indigenous cuisine”. The concept is simple, you take the freshest of produce from different regions around New Zealand and Australia and inject them with cross over flavours of native Maori and Aboriginal indigenous herbs and extracts”.

If you can’t get lemon myrtle, then just use some finely grated lemon zest instead. Bee pollen granules can be bought in any health food store and Middle Eastern sumac is usually sold in the supermarkets. Don’t worry too much about the salmon crust, leave it out if you wish and just cook your salmon as normal in a little oil.    

CHEF  Michael Daly

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
100g x 4 Marlborough Salmon
2 tbsp Vitality Bee Pollen granules
1 tbsp Lemon myrtle
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 tsp middle Eastern sumac
50g butter (melted) 

HONEY AIOLI
3 egg yolks
1tbsp sweettree honey
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup grapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic (finely crushed)
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp Vilality Bee Pollen (crushed)
Salt & pepper to taste

SPRING ORZO SALAD
80g orzo pasta
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 liter vegetable stock
1 tsp dry mint flakes
3 tbsp diced mixed melon (honeydew, rock & watermelon)
Extra virgin olive oil
Handful of sango sprouts
80g roast flamed red capsicum (1cm dice) optional 
2 tbsp 42Below Passionfruit Vodka
Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

• Lightly crush the sesame seeds and bee pollen in a coffee grinder. Mix in the sumac and lemon myrtle and whiz for a further 10 seconds. Empty out onto a flat plate. Meanwhile, brush each salmon fillet with a little melted butter and dip each fillet into the bee pollen crust, making sure it is completely covered. Place to the side and let stand at room temperature.
• In a medium size pot, bring the vegetable stock, curry powder and turmeric to the boil and pour in the orzo pasta. Cook until tender or 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and lay on a flat tray to cool with some extra virgin olive oil sprinkled on-top.
• To make the aioli: place the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, bee pollen, honey and garlic in a food processor and blend for a few minutes. Start drizzling in your oil until it starts to thicken. Add in the lemon juice and seasoning. If to thick, adjust with a little hot water.
• To assemble: Place the salmon fillets into a hot pan skin side down and gently cook for a few minutes. Then transfer the salmon to a hot grill for final cooking. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until just pink.
• Toss the orzo pasta, capsicum, mixed melon, sango sprouts and the vodka in a bowl and season. Arrange on the plate. Lay your salmon on-top and drizzle around your honey aioli. Garnish with some freshly diced melon salsa and balsamic reduction if your desire.