Put the salt in a big roasting dish, deep enough to lay the salmon in, and with capacity for 6 cups of water. Add half a cup boiling water to the salt and whisk to dissolve it. Top up with 5½ cups cold water and leave to cool. Add the salmon, flesh side down, and leave in the brine for 30 minutes.
Mix the olive oil with the garlic, pomegranate molasses and cumin seeds.
Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425°F and line an oven tray with baking paper. Carefully remove the salmon from the brine and pat dry. Lay, skin-side down, on the baking paper. Brush the pomegranate molasses mixture over the salmon flesh. Bake for 10-15 minutes – 15 minutes for a bigger side of salmon, but if your salmon is smaller, stick to 12 minutes or less; you really don’t want to over-cook it!
The salmon can be served immediately once cooked or refrigerated until half an hour before serving. To serve, garnish the salmon with pickled red onion* and capers.
