Roast Salmon with Fragrant Lentils

Ready in 40 minutes Serves 6

1¾ cups Le Puy or beluga lentils

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, very finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

4 cups chicken stock

1½ tbsp sherry or wine vinegar

½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper

6-8 x 150g boneless, skin-on salmon fillets 1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

GARNISH

1-2 lemons, sliced into cheeks or wedges A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Place lentils in a pot with olive oil, onion, garlic, bay leaf and stock.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes then remove lid and continue cooking until lentils are just tender and liquid has evaporated (time will depend on age and dryness of lentils, about

20 minutes). If liquid has evaporated and lentils are still hard, add some water to the pot and continue cooking until they are al dente. Take off heat, remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in the vinegar and most of the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To cook salmon, preheat oven to 200C. Heat a large, heavy-based ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle salmon on both sides with salt, and zest the lemon rind over the top. Add salmon to hot pan, skin-side down. Cook for 4 minutes over high heat. Transfer pan to hot oven and cook for 5-7 minutes or until salmon flesh has a little give when gently pressed from the sides (the thicker the fillets the longer they will take to cook). Rest for a few minutes before serving. To serve, divide lentils between 6 serving plates and place a piece of salmon on top. Scatter over reserved parsley and drizzle over a little olive oil. Garnish with lemon and serve.