STARTER: POACHED SALMON & HERBED COUSCOUS

MODE: Quick wash TEMPERATURE: 75c TIME: 45 minutes

COOKING salmon — or any seafood — in the dishwasher is one of the most tried-and-tested techniques.

An online search for ‘dishwasher salmon’ brings up 3.9million results, with one recipe endorsed by Master Chef judge John Torode.

I take a salmon fillet, lay it on a couple of lemon slices and make a quick sauce from a tablespoon of sour cream, a tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. I drizzle this over the fish, add some sprigs of dill and season.

I’ve bought extra-strong foil for sealing it up and wrap the salmon several times to make a watertight parcel. Then, for extra security, I put it inside a roasting bag secured with a plastic tie. It’s like a fishy Fort Knox; if anything can get in or out, I’ll be impressed.

To go with the salmon, I put 100g dried couscous in a Tupperware box with a tight-fitting lid (this is crucial). I add 200ml vegetable stock and stir through a teaspoon of pesto and a tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs.

Now for the tricky bit: the ‘cooking’. I put the salmon parcel on the top rack; this, it seems, is advisable as it’s cooler than the bottom, so there’s no risk of dry, overcooked fish.

The ‘quick wash’ setting — 45 minutes — is more than double what it would normally take in the oven, but it’ll have to do. I wedge the couscous container in, shut the door and start the cycle. Forty-five minutes seem to last for ever. There’s some ominous squelching, a few clunks — perhaps I should have secured the containers in place? — but no fragrant aroma to tell me my salmon is cooking. Eventually, the dishwasher beeps and I wrench it open. Steam pours out — and both dishes seem to be intact. When I peel open the salmon parcel, I’m surprised. The fish, swimming in lemony sauce, looks pink, flaky and perfectly cooked — and it’s melt-in-the-mouth tender. The couscous, too, is fluffy, fragrant and delicious. An encouraging start!

VERDICT: 4/5