Watercress and Cheddar Scones with Poached Potted Salmon

Tender, cheesy scones split and topped with a decadent salmon mixture. You can leave out the poaching step, if you prefer, and use hot smoked salmon fillets in the topping for a speedier finish.

Hands-on time 40min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 25min.

Makes about 18 topped halves

FOR THE SCONES

225g self-raising flour, plus extra to dust

1tsp baking powder

1tsp English mustard powder 2 pinches cayenne pepper

50g butter, chilled and cubed 75g watercress, finely chopped, plus extra sprigs to garnish 100g mature Cheddar, grated 150ml buttermilk, plus extra to brush

FOR THE POACHING LIQUID

Handful parsley 2 bay leaves Small handful thyme sprigs 1 onion, finely sliced 1 carrot, roughly chopped 1 leek, trimmed and finely sliced 200ml English white wine 15 black peppercorns

FOR THE TOPPING

4 salmon fillets, see intro 300ml double cream Finely grated zest 1 lemon 1/4tsp cayenne pepper 3tbsp finely chopped chives

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. For the scones, in a food processor pulse the flour, baking powder, English mustard, cayenne pepper and a large pinch of fine salt until combined. Alternatively, mix in a large bowl. Add the butter and pulse/rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2 Add the watercress and 75g Cheddar and briefly pulse/mix. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse/mix with a cutlery knife to make a slightly sticky dough.

3 Tip on to a lightly floured work surface and gently pat out to 2cm thick. Dust a 6cm round (fluted or plain) cutter with flour and use to stamp out 8-10 rounds, re-patting trimmings together as needed.

4 Arrange on the lined sheets, spacing slightly apart. Brush tops with buttermilk and sprinkle over remaining 25g Cheddar. Bake for 20min, or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5 Meanwhile, make the poaching liquid. Tie the herbs together in a bunch with kitchen string. Add to a wide, shallow pan that has a lid and will hold the salmon in a single layer (but don’t add the salmon just yet). Add the remaining ingredients and just cover with cold water. Sprinkle in 2tsp salt. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat, then bubble for 10min to help the flavours infuse.

6 Reduce heat to low and add the salmon, nestling it into the liquid (skin-side down). Simmer gently for 5-10min, or until the salmon is just cooked through. Lift salmon on to a board and leave to cool completely.

7 In a large bowl, whip the double cream, lemon zest, cayenne pepper and some seasoning until the mixture just holds its shape. Add the chives and flake in the salmon (discard skin, if present). Using a large metal spoon, fold in until combined. Check seasoning.

8 To serve, split the scones and top each 1/2 with some salmon mixture. Garnish with watercress and serve.

PER TOPPED 1/2 SCONE 216cals, 9g protein, 15g fat (8g saturates), 10g carbs (1g total sugars), 1g fibre GET AHEAD

Bake scones and poach salmon up to a day ahead. Once cool, keep scones in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and chill salmon. To serve, reheat scones in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 for a few min (ideally on a steam setting, or with a roasting tin of water in the base of the oven to create steam). Complete recipe.