Air-Fried Garlic Butter Salmon with Walnut Rocket Salad

March 4, 2021

My favourite recipe to whip up in a flash! I always keep salmon steaks in the freezer so I can have this meal whenever I want. But nothing beats a fresh salmon steak from a fishmonger.

This recipe is for the air fryer, however you can cook this in the oven too.

I like to make a little foil boat for the salmon so the fleshy parts remain covered to keep the juices and garlic butter/oil flavour in, while allowing the skin to get crispy on top.

If you're lactose intolerant, rather than using butter, substitute with oil or a vegan butter like the nuttelex ones.

And as for the salad, it's nice and simple to make! Small amount of ingredients and only a couple of things to cut up.

Okay...but sometimes I struggle eating salad. I'm sure I can't be the only one who has difficulty getting rocket leaves on a fork and into your mouth?! And when there's dressing involved there's the risk of getting dressing all over your face.........

So I have developed two solutions to this predicament.

Tearing or cutting up the rocket leaves into smaller pieces. This reduces the risk of a leaf unraveling on your fork making it difficult to fit in your mouth.
Chopsticks! I don't know what it is about chopsticks but I find it so much easier to pick up leaves with them. Especially if you've torn them up as mentioned above.

Please let me know in the comments below if you share this salad eating issue, I'd really love to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way :/

Dietary Requirements:

This recipe has substitutions that are suitable for those with a lactose intolerance, and naturally is gluten free (just make sure the walnuts aren't coated in flour)
Rocket belongs to the Brassicaceae family, red onions and garlic are Amaryllidaceaes, and avocados are Lauraceaes...and therefore this recipe is nightshade free!
And is a GREAT meal for pescatarians :D

Air-Fried Garlic Butter Salmon with Walnut Rocket Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Quick and easy meal that’s loaded with anti-inflammatory stuff!

Ingredients

For the Garlic Butter Salmon:

2 x salmon fillets
2 tbsp of butter, vegan butter, or olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
a generous pinch of dried parsley, oregano and chives
olive oil and salt for the skin

For the Salad:

120g of rocket
1/2 a red onion, cut into narrow slivers or small squares
3/4 cup of walnuts
1/2 an avocado cut into 1cm squares
1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
salt + pepper

Method

Step 1:
Combine butter (or vegan butter or olive oil), herbs, and crushed garlic in a small bowl/ramekin. Microwave for a few seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted.

Step 2:
Create a little foil boat that will fit around the fleshy parts of the salmon, leaving the skin uncovered. Pour the garlic butter/oil mix into the boat and spread it around, placing the salmon on top. Coat the skin with olive oil and salt.

Step 3:
Cook in air-fryer for 10 minutes at 180°C or a couple more minutes for a thicker steak. Internal temperature should be about 60°C

Step 4:
While the salmon is cooking, in a large bowl, combine rocket, onion, walnuts and avocado pieces. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, juice of 1/2″ a lemon and salt and pepper.

Step 5:
Remove the salad from the foil boat, and serve on a plate with the salad. Drizzle any leftover garlic butter from the foil boat over the salmon, as well as the juice from the other half of the lemon.