SALMON WITH A COUSCOUS CRUST & HERB CREAM

This dish is based on a creation by Delia Smith. She sticks with the Middle Eastern theme and serves it with a chopped tomato and olive vinaigrette. I, however, like to serve it with a cream sauce, crushed new potatoes and broccoli. The sauce is extremely simple. Depending on the richness of the cream you use, you may need to reduce the sauce to thicken it slightly.

50G UNCOOKED COUSCOUS

A SQUEEZE OF LEMON JUICE

1 TBSP FRESHLY CHOPPED OR FROZEN HERBS

1 EGG, ANY SIZE

2 SALMON FILLETS, BONELESS AND SKINLESS (ABOUT 150G EACH) FOR THE HERB CREAM

A KNOB OF BUTTER

100ML PLUS 1 TBSP DOUBLE CREAM

A SQUEEZE OF LEMON JUICE

1 TBSP FRESH OR FROZEN CHOPPED HERBS

1 Put the couscous in a bowl with seasoning, squeeze on the lemon juice and stir in 60ml boiling water. Cover with a plate and leave for 10 minutes to absorb the water, then add the herbs and fluff with a fork. Line a small baking sheet with a piece of baking parchment.

2 Beat the egg in a small shallow dish, adding a pinch of salt to make it less gloopy, so it sticks to the fish better. Dip the first salmon fillet in the egg to coat completely, hold it up to let it drain, then place it on the couscous. Use a spoon to coat it thickly all over, then place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the second fillet. Use all the couscous to make a nice thick layer. Discard the excess egg. (If you do this ahead, put in fridge. Cover with plastic film if it’s for more than 30 minutes.)

3 About 20 minutes before you wish to eat, put the fish in the oven at 190°C (170°C fan oven) gas mark 5. Check after 16 minutes (14 if you have preheated your oven) by sticking a small knife in the centre – the flesh should be opaque – and cook for up to 5 more minutes if necessary.

4 For the herb cream, melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the cream. Bubble until slightly thickened, stir in seasoning and the lemon juice. Stir in the herbs and serve warm, alongside the fish.

SKINNING FISH FILLETS

You don’t need fishmonger skills to skin a fillet. Put the fillet on a chopping board, skin-side down, then, holding your knife at a 30° angle to the board, wiggle it along from one end. The knife will separate the skin from the fish but not cut through the skin. Another approach for recipes in which you are simply baking fish in the oven is to place the fish, skin-side down, on foil, then when it is cooked, simply slide the fillet off (leaving the skin stuck to the foil).

ABOUT 250G FRESH OR FROZEN SPINACH LEAVES, COOKED (OR DEFROSTED), CHOPPED AND SQUEEZED DRY TO YIELD 150G-175G PREPARED SPINACH

100G COOKED HAM, CUT INTO 2CM CUBES OR TORN INTO BITE-SIZE PIECES

125G MOZZARELLA BALL, DRAINED AND SHREDDED

1 GARLIC CLOVE, CRUSHED

FRESHLY GRATED NUTMEG

FINELY GRATED ZEST OF ½ LEMON

3 TBSP GRATED PARMESAN

1 EGG

ABOUT 300G READY-MADE PUFF PASTRY DOUGH, EITHER A READY-ROLLED SHEET OR A BLOCK

2 TBSP PINE KERNELS

A SPLASH OF MILK