Silky Slow-Roasted Whole Salmon with Crispy Ghee & Garlic Potatoes
A whole salmon gently roasted with ghee, lemon, garlic, sweet onions and handfuls of fresh herbs until meltingly tender. Served surrounded by golden, salty potatoes with crisp, roughed-up edges, then finished with lemon zest, flaky sea salt and even more herbs.
Ingredients
For the salmon
1 large whole salmon, gutted and cleaned, approximately 1.5–2 kg
1 large bunch fresh parsley
½ bunch fresh mint
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4–5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons ghee, plus a little extra for greasing
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 additional lemons, for serving
Fine cooking salt, for seasoning the cavity
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Flaky sea salt, to finish
For the potatoes
4-5 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon ghee
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Dried oregano, to taste
Fine cooking salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Equipment
A large baking tray
A separate roasting tray for the potatoes
Heavy-duty aluminium foil
A digital food thermometer
Method
1. Prepare the salmon
Preheat the oven to 120°C.
Pat the salmon thoroughly dry inside and out with paper towel. Place it back in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling so it remains properly chilled.
2. Soften the onion and garlic
Melt 2 tablespoons of ghee in a frying pan over medium-low heat.
Add the sliced onion and garlic, then sauté gently for 5–6 minutes, until soft, sweet and fragrant without becoming deeply browned.
Transfer the mixture to a cool bowl and allow it to lose its heat before placing it inside the salmon.
3. Make the herb filling
Roughly chop approximately half of the parsley and half of the mint, saving the remaining fresh herbs for serving.
Season the salmon cavity generously with fine salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Spoon in the cooled onion and garlic mixture, leaving a little for brushing on top of the skin, followed by the chopped herbs and thin lemon slices.
The cavity should be generously filled but not packed so tightly that it cannot close naturally.
4. Wrap the salmon
Lay two overlapping sheets of heavy-duty foil across a large baking tray and lightly grease them with melted ghee.
Place the salmon on top. Brush remaining ghee, garlic and onion mixture over the skin, then season generously with cracked black pepper. Arrange a few additional thin lemon slices over the surface. Don’t season with salt yet, as we will garish with flaky sea salt after cooking.
Bring the foil up and around the salmon, sealing the edges completely to create a roomy parcel. It does not need to hug the fish tightly, the purpose is to trap the steam and moisture inside.
5. Begin the slow roast
Place the wrapped salmon in the centre of the oven.
Cook until the thickest part reaches 63°C, checking beside the backbone without touching the bone. Begin checking after approximately 75 minutes; a 1.5–2 kg whole salmon may take around 1½–2 hours, depending on its thickness and starting temperature.
Let the thermometer decide when it is ready rather than relying only on the clock.
6. Prepare the potatoes
Begin preparing the potatoes approximately 1 hour before you expect the salmon to finish.
Place the peeled and quartered potatoes into a large pot of salted water. Bring to the boil and parboil for approximately 10 minutes, until their outsides have softened but their centres remain firm.
Drain thoroughly and allow them to steam dry for a minute.
Return them to the hot pot with the ghee and crushed garlic. Cover with the lid and shake firmly to roughen their edges. These fluffy, battered edges will become the best crispy bits.
7. Begin roasting the potatoes
Transfer the potatoes to a separate roasting tray, spreading them out so they are not crowded.
Season generously with salt, cracked black pepper and oregano. Place the tray on the shelf above the salmon and roast at the same low temperature for the remaining 45–60 minutes.
8. Rest the salmon and crisp the potatoes
Once the salmon reaches 63°C, remove it from the oven and leave it sealed for at least 15 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 200°C fan-forced and continue roasting the potatoes for another 15-20 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.
9. Finish and serve
Carefully unwrap the rested salmon and transfer the to a large serving dish.
Arrange the crispy potatoes around it.
Finish the salmon with flaky sea salt, finely grated lemon zest and the remaining roughly chopped parsley and mint.
Cut the additional lemons into generous wedges and scatter them around the platter for squeezing at the table.
Sofia’s Notes
For salty, golden pockets of goodness, crumble feta over the potatoes during their final 20 minutes in the oven. The edges will soften and caramelise while the top becomes beautifully golden.
For a completely different flavour profile, fill the fish with fresh coriander and mint, then season the potatoes with ground coriander and cumin. Serve everything with my spiced mango chutney and cooling cucumber yoghurt.
You can also change the fish. I love using whole barramundi for a lighter, more delicate version, just begin checking it earlier and cook until the thickest part reaches 63°C, as its size and cooking time may differ from the salmon.
