Sunday Brunch: Coconut Pancakes With Sticky Salmon

The salmon here is sticky and burnished on the outside, while the flesh is meltingly soft and flavoursome. It goes perfectly with the coconut pancakes and crisp vegetables.

Takes 50 minutes

Makes 4 pancakes

Ingredients

For the marinade
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbsp mirin
75ml soy sauce
2 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
squeeze lime juice, plus more to serve
4 skinless salmon fillets (about 500g), cut into 3cm chunks
1 quantity coconut crêpe batter (see below)
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated or spiralised
1 medium cucumber, cut into ribbons with a peeler
handful micro herbs

For the crêpes
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
130g plain white flour
3 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
200ml coconut milk
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled, plus extra for frying

Method
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a large shallow dish, pour over the marinade, and toss to coat. Set aside while you make the pancakes.

Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry frying pan, moving it about constantly with a wooden spoon, until pale gold. Transfer to a mixing bowl, then add the flours, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine. Make a well in the centre. In a jug, whisk together the egg, coconut milk, 1 tbsp coconut oil, and 100ml cold water. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the well and whisk, incorporating the flour as you go, to make a smooth batter. Don’t overbeat or the crêpes will be tough. Set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes, then stir in 3 tbsp of cold water to thin out a little.

Heat a non-stick frying pan or crêpe pan over a medium-high heat and brush generously with coconut oil. Pour 60ml batter into the pan, quickly swirling the pan as you go, to cover the base. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the top starts to look dry and the bottom golden. Flip and cook for a further 30 seconds and repeat with the remaining batter.

Cover loosely with foil to keep warm and set aside while you cook the salmon.

Preheat the grill to high and line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange the salmon in a single layer on the baking sheet, reserving any leftover marinade.

Set the oven rack about 5cm below the grill – you don’t want it too close – and grill the salmon for 4 minutes. Turn the pieces over, brush with the remaining marinade, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Distribute the salmon equally between the pancakes, top with the sesame seeds, carrots, cucumber and micro herbs. Fold over and serve immediately, with hot sauce if you like.

Extracted from Posh Pancakes by Sue Quinn (Quadrille, approx €15). Photography © Faith Mason.