Salmon with chestnut crust and fennel puree

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 550 g potatoes
• 250 g fennel, cleaned
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100 g whipped cream
• 1 small apple
• 10 g butter
• Salt, to taste
• nutmeg
• 400 g salmon fillet(s) (4 pieces)
• Flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 40 g butter
• 40 g breadcrumbs
• 100 g chestnuts from Avellino
• 40 leaves of olive herb
• smoked salt
• 200 g whipped cream
• 6 tbsp pesto
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 50 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Peel the chestnuts, cut into large cubes, and roast in a fat-free pan until golden brown. Wash the olive leaves, pat dry, and chop finely. Mix the butter with the breadcrumbs, chestnuts, and olive leaves using a fork. Season with salt. Peel the potatoes, chop them finely, and cook until tender. Trim the fennel and cut them into fine strips. Heat a pan and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the fennel strips in the hot olive oil until tender, then puree them not so finely and set aside. Peel, core, and finely dice the apple. At the same time, heat a pan, melt the butter, add the apple pieces, and let the mixture caramelize slightly. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then add the olive oil to the pan and briefly sear the salmon for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place the salmon pieces on a plate and top with the chestnut crust. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (grill on top and fan-assisted) and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. The baking time depends largely on the thickness of the fillet. In the meantime, mash the potatoes, stir in the pureed fennel and the warmed whipped cream, and season with salt and nutmeg. Finally, stir in the apple pieces with a spoon and keep the purée warm. Add the whipped cream and pesto to the frying fat and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Now you can serve.