Salmon fish fingers with tomato and basil dip

Method

1. Preheat the oven 220C/gas 7.

2. Cut the piece of salmon in half across the width and then cut each half into six equal-sized fingers down the length. Sift the flour onto a plate or into a wide bowl, beat the eggs in another bowl and place the breadcrumbs in a third. Season each with salt and pepper.

3. First dust the salmon fingers in the flour, then dip them in the beaten egg and finally in the breadcrumbs, to evenly coat. (The fish fingers can be prepared in advance to this stage and then stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours or freezer for up to 3 months.)

4. To shallow-fry, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium–high heat and fry the fish fingers for 3–4 minutes each side or until crisp, golden and cooked through. Drain well on kitchen paper.

5. Alternatively, drizzle the olive oil on a large baking sheet and arrange the fish fingers on the oiled sheet. Bake in the oven for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until crisp, golden and cooked through.

6. For the tomato dip Blitz the chopped tomato in a blender or using a hand-held blender until smooth. Push through a fine sieve into a small saucepan and simmer on a low heat for 4–5 minutes or until reduced and thickened.

7. Remove and leave to cool completely before stirring into the crème fraîche with the basil and a little salt and pepper.

8. Serve the salmon fish fingers with lemon wedges for people to squeeze over together with a bowl of the tomato and basil dip.

Apdapted from Rachel Allen Home Cooking (Collins)