Wild salmon on pistachios and pine nuts

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg salmon (wild), frozen, gutted, without head
• 60 g pistachios, shelled, unsalted
• 60 g pine nuts, unsalted, unroasted
• 100 g butter
• Salt
• 1 black pepper, freshly ground
• Herbs, Italian, dried
• Rosemary, dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lemon(s), the juice
• 1 liter zucchini
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 2 cups rice (long grain wild rice blend)
• 6 cups water

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Thaw the salmon (remove it from the package the night before and refrigerate it). Cut off the remaining head and gills, as well as the fins on the belly, breast, back, and tail (using household scissors). Remove the belly flaps (which are riddled with bones), if necessary. Wash, remove the fibrous membranes inside, and extend the cut in the belly to the end of the tail. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Place the pistachios and pine nuts in a pan and roast without adding any fat, stirring constantly, until the pine nuts begin to brown. Place about 50 cm of aluminum foil on the oven rack, add the pistachios and pine nuts, and let cool. Spread about 20 g of butter on top. Lightly salt one side of the salmon and season generously with freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with Italian herbs and crushed rosemary. Place the seasoned side on top of the nuts. Brush the inside of the salmon with approximately 20g of butter and add a bay leaf. Season the other side of the salmon as described above. Squeeze the lemon juice over the salmon and spread the remaining butter over the salmon. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and cut into thin strips. Place the strips (diagonally if necessary) over and next to the salmon. Halve the tomatoes, cut out the stem fibers in a triangle, and place them on and next to the salmon. Place a second piece of aluminum foil over the salmon, folding the bottom foil upwards to form a bowl. Place the “package” on the oven rack. Place a drip tray at the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C (185°C fan/gas mark 2 to 3) and place the rack with the salmon on the middle rack. Cooking time is approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Pour six coffee cups of cold water into a saucepan, add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add two coffee cups of rice and bring the water to a boil on high. Then reduce the heat to low enough so that the rice continues to cook. Preparation time: approximately 25 minutes. Drain the rice into a colander and, once drained, transfer it to a bowl. Remove the salmon rack from the oven, turn off the oven, and add the rice. Open the aluminum foil at the head or tail end and pour the liquid into a bowl. Keep the bowl warm in the oven. Remove the aluminum foil from the salmon and arrange it on a platter. Decorate the salmon with zucchini, tomatoes, pistachios, and pine nuts on the platter, on top of and around the salmon. The platter and both bowls are now ready to serve. Serve with creamed horseradish, concentrated lemon juice, honey, mustard, and dill sauce, or similar.