For this dish the potatoes and the salmon are both roasted in the pan – saving washing up. You’re using new potatoes – no peeling.

By this method you keep the moisture in the salmon by covering with a layer of lemon slices – so without using foil – and providing a sort of constant basting mechanism and additional flavour and tenderiser. Explain this to your guests and tell them to move the lemon to the side before eating the moist and fragrant salmon below – they’re not expected to eat the lemon!

What’s important about the salad is that you add the mayonnaise to the vinaigrette – there’s something about the creaminess and tanginess of it which goes sublimely with the potatoes.

Recipe for salmon moist with lemon – with a creamy salad and roasted new potatoes

Serves 2

Ingredients

• about 360g/12 oz new potatoes – whatever looks enough, different people have different appetites
• 2 reasonably sized salmon fillets – approx. 150g/5 oz each
• 3 tbsp thick balsamic vinegar – or if you can’t find that, pomegranate molasses
• half a lemon
• salt and pepper
• olive oil for roasting and for the dressing
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 red gem…or any gem lettuce
• 1 radish
• 4 spring onions

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC.
2. Cut the new potatoes (I used a mix of vitelotte – dark purple, and La Ratte – normal colour) into chunks, all more or less the same size.
3. Line a small roasting tin, large enough for the salmon fillets as well as the potatoes, with foil, oil lightly.
4. Put the potatoes into the roasting tin and drizzle over a bit more oil, mix to cover, sprinkle over a bit of salt.
5. Put in the oven – after 15 minutes take out and turn, return for another 15 minutes.
6. Take out, turn again, and lay the fillets into the tin. Season them lightly.
7. Thinly slice the lemon, and cut through all slices to make half moon shapes. Cover the surface of the salmon with them.
8. Drizzle half a tablespoon of thick balsamic vinegar over each fillet.
9. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes – make sure the fish is cooked through, it should be completely opaque.
10. Meanwhile make the salad by shredding the baby gem and putting it into a salad bowl. Finely slice the radish and add that. Snip over the spring onions – including an inch or so of green.
11. Make a dressing of 4 tbsps olive oil, 1 tbsp thick balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsps mayonnaise and some seasoning. Dress and toss the salad with that.
12. Serve the salad with the salmon, the potatoes, dusted with a bit more textured salt, and any juices left in the pan.