Oven-baked salmon with barberry topping

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• some butter for the mold
• 2 bulbs of fennel
• 300 g potatoes, approx.
• 2 salmon fillets
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp oil, approx.
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 2 tbsp barberries, dried
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp pomegranate syrup, Turkish (molasses)
• 6 walnut halves, approx.
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Clean the fennel, quarter it, and remove the tough stalk. Cut the quarters crosswise into thin strips. Chop the fennel greens. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly. Cook the fennel in salted water until al dente, remove with a slotted spoon, and drain in a colander. Cook the potato slices in the fennel water until almost cooked through, then drain and set aside. Retain some of the cooking water for later use for the topping. Arrange the potatoes and fennel in a greased ovenproof dish. Wash the salmon, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, and place on top of the vegetables. Roast in a preheated oven at 180-200°C (top/bottom heat) for about 15-20 minutes. For the topping, dice the onion and sauté in a little oil. Finely chop the garlic and sauté briefly. Add the barberries and honey and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Chop the walnuts, add them to the barberry mixture along with 2 tablespoons of pomegranate syrup (the sour, thick, black kind – not grenadine syrup) and 1-2 tablespoons of the vegetable cooking water, and simmer slightly. About 5 minutes before the end of cooking, spread the topping over the fish and vegetables. Serve sprinkled with fennel leaves.