I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

March 7, 2011

Confit Salmon


Have you heard about Macadamia Oil?



Macadamia oil is a delicious buttery, mild tasting oil that is mostly monounsaturated and low in the damaging saturated fats. This means it's healthy and you can eat lots of it!


When I got my package of yummy Brookfarm products recently, there was a bottle of Chilli Lime infused Macadamia Oil. It has a light nutty flavour that lets the chilli and lime through beautifully. It's great for salad dressings, drizzling over meats and even stirfrying as it has a high smoke point and won't burn easily.


Today I'm going to try something a little different, I'm going to use it to confit a salmon steak.


Confit is cooking something gently in oil or fat; it leaves the meat beautifully soft and delicate as the indirect heat wraps around it and seals the salmons natural moisture in. Don't be afraid of the oil. The fish won't soak it up or be unpleasant, it will drain off at the end and just leave a lovely lingering flavour.


I'm going to serve it with a green pawpaw salad for a great textural contrast, and some rice to complete the meal.


I got a lovely piece of salmon for my recipe. I left the skin on the fillet to help it hold together as it cooks and to protect it in case the bottom of the pot got a bit too warm. I also trimmed the thin end off as it would cook a lot quicker than the thicker part.


Place the salmon in a small pot and add enough olive oil to almost cover. Top up with a quarter cup of lovely Macadamia oil and leave to infuse while you make the salad.


For the green paw paw salad, or you can use green mango instead, use a shredder tool that you can get from most cookware shops or asian grocers. This finely shreds hard vegetables so easily and quickly, that it's well worth investing the $15 or so in getting one.

Green Papaya Salad


3 handfuls of shredded green papaya

2 handfuls of shredded carrot

about 1 handful of green beans cut into batons

about 10 cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

1 large chilli

1 tab raw or palm sugar

2-3 tab lime juice

same amount of fish sauce




In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and sugar into a paste. Add in the chilli and bash away. Now add the beans and bruise, but don't smash. The idea is to use a hit and scoop action. Hit the vegetables with the pestle with your right hand, then scoop them up and turn them over with a spoon in your left hand. It's not as hard as it sounds, and you get a good rhythm going. Next add the papaya, then carrot. Lastly add the tomatoes, then the juice and fish sauce. Pound lightly a few more times to crush the tomatoes and to mix their juices and the other liquids through the salad.

Put the salmon on a gentle heat and slowly bring up the temperature. It should be just a bit too hot to leave your finger in comfortably. Place a lid on the pot and pull off the heat and leave for about 5mins to finish cooking. If there is only just enough oil, you can turn the fish over carefully first to make sure it's covered completely.


When the salmon is ready, put it on a rack over a tray to drain off the excess oil. You can also pat it gently with some paper towel if you like.

Now to plate up.

Remove the skin from the bottom of the fish, it's done it's job and isn't needed now. Yucky soft skin isn't pleasant at all. The fish is nice, soft and moist, with the subtle hints of lime and chilli just coming through. You can serve this hot or warm, I prefer it warm as I think the flavour is much better.
Place on a plate with the salad and rice. I topped this all off with some toasted macadamia nuts and a tiny last drizzle of fresh macadamia oil.




So Dearest Readers, do you like flavoured oils, and what do you like to do with them?

Macadamia oil supplied by the lovely people at Brookfarm. Thanks guys! http://www.brookfarm.com.au/

14 comments:

  1. I like flavored oils and use them. Sesame oil of course, hazlenut for salads, cant get macadamia unless one of my kind sisters sent me a bottle. I usually make soap from my various oils and let my skin soak up all that goodness rather than my hips, thighs and everywhere else.

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  2. oh yum!
    This is a style of cooking I have never tried - but must !
    I am loving a garlic infused olive oil I have :)

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  3. This looks amazing, i have yet to confit something, and that shredder looks great! I really like the sound of your oil too.

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  4. I always thought that confiting was a lot harder than that! I might give that a go too! :)

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  5. I'm dying to know...how did the confit turn out? I presume good - it certainly looks gorgeous, and the idea of using Macadamia oil to confit salmon is wonderful...

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  6. Wow! :D *drool* I don't know macadamia oil, but I know macadamia nuts, and "buttery" is the perfect word to describe their taste! I think I have to learn to love salmon now.

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  7. I am cooking Salmon tonight. You have given me ideas what to do with it. Thanks!

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  8. Everything about this sounds absolutely divine. Now I must get my hands on some of that lime and chili infused macadamia oil! WOW!!!

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  9. lovely idea. Where did you get your green papaya from? I'm always on the lookout.

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  10. Wow, can I please come for dinner? That looks amazing! I've never tried confiting before. Your salmon looks perfectly tender and moist!

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  11. Hi Lovelies,
    Simcha- I like to infuse myself with oil from the inside out, rather than the outside in.
    Lisa- I have a wierd thing for garlic-Yummmmmmm
    Muppy- the shredders are really cheap, but be careful they're also really sharp!
    Lorraine- so, so easy really
    Indie.tea- it was fantastic,moist and tender
    Kath- the oil is as good as you can imagine it to be
    Ellie- thanks, hope you enjoy it
    Kim- try the Brookfarm web site, I'm sure they'll send it across
    Gastonomy Gal- try an asian market or shop, they are scarce this year because of the cyclone, you can use green mango too
    Celia- any time sweetie, I'd love to have you!

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  12. Gorgeous gorgeous GORGEOUS! :) I am obsessed with confit, this looks amazing. Are there any left overs?

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  13. I have some Macadamia oil to try out! This looks perfect. I will try this! mmm, can't wait :)
    Heidi xo

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  14. Olio Bello in MArgaret River Western Aust have amazing fruit infused oils especially the mandarine one. We grow Oregano which is an amazing medicinal herb. The oregano oil and is made by infusing the fresh leaves in oil leaving the container in the sun for 3 weeks. I made some and was feeling very proud of my efforts when a huge crow actually knocked my bottle over and I lost the lot. Tastes good and is anti microbial and anti fungal. Wow. The oil not the crow:)

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