Juicy salmon with spicy lemon butter, a fresh parsley and mint sauce, and roasted fennel with crispy chickpeas. A complete tray of soft, fresh and crunchy elements.
This dish is all about contrast: salmon is rich and tender, harissa brings warmth, and lemon lifts it all. The butter helps keep the fish juicy and lets the spices in the harissa cling nicely to the surface. Harissa varies in heat and saltiness from jar to jar; start with a mild variety and one tablespoon, and use less if your harissa is particularly hot. Lemon zest adds fragrance without making the butter watery.
The green sauce isn’t a smooth purée, but a roughly chopped herb sauce with parsley, mint and capers. The capers add salt and acidity, balancing the richness of the salmon. Chop the herbs by hand for a lively, loose texture, or use a small food processor and pulse briefly. Add the water a little at a time: the sauce should be spoonable, not runny.
Fennel becomes sweeter and softer in the oven, while its outer edges brown. Cut the bulbs into sturdy wedges and leave a little of the core attached so the layers don’t fall apart too easily. In the Netherlands, locally grown fennel is mainly available during the warmer months, but it’s easy to find at other times of year too. Chickpeas only turn properly crispy if you rub them thoroughly dry after draining. You can remove a few loose skins, but there’s no need to.
The fennel and chickpeas go into the oven before the salmon because they need more time to brown. Use a large baking tray: on a crowded tray, the ingredients will steam rather than roast. A thin salmon fillet cooks faster than a thick piece, so check the thickest part and take the fish out as soon as it’s just cooked. If you use a thermometer, aim for a safe internal temperature of 63 °C.
Serve everything on a platter, with the herb sauce drizzled over or on the side so the roasted chickpeas stay crispy. Warm flatbread, couscous or boiled potatoes go well with it if you’d like a more substantial meal. Cover leftovers and refrigerate them within two hours, then eat within two days. Reheat the salmon gently until it’s piping hot all the way through; the chickpeas will lose some of their crisp bite.
Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Cut the fennel bulbs into wedges, leaving the core attached. Toss with 1½ tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the baking tray and roast for 15 minutes.
Pat the drained chickpeas thoroughly dry with a clean tea towel. Toss them with the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add them to the tray with the fennel and roast everything for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the softened butter with the harissa and lemon zest. To make the sauce, finely chop the parsley, mint and capers, then stir together with the lemon juice and olive oil. Add the cold water a spoonful at a time until the sauce is spoonable. Season with pepper and a little salt if needed.
Take the baking tray out of the oven. Move the fennel and chickpeas slightly to one side and place the salmon fillets between them. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and spread the harissa butter over the top.
Return the tray to the oven for 8–12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The salmon is cooked when the thickest part is just opaque and flakes apart easily; for a safe internal temperature, aim for 63 °C.
Divide the salmon, fennel and chickpeas between plates. Spoon the herb sauce over the top or serve it on the side.
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