Whole baked salmon with cucumber, watercress and mayonnaise

A wonderful dish for the middle of a table – it’s perfect served with new potatoes with herbs and crème fraîche.

Serves 8

100ml sunflower oil, for brushing 1 whole salmon, 2-3kg, gutted, cleaned and scaled

1 large sprig of flat-leaf parsley 2 lemons, cut into sunshine rounds 2 bay leaves

300ml white wine

FOR THE CITRUS MAYONNAISE 3 egg yolks

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1tsp Dijon mustard

250ml sunflower oil

Zest of 1 lime

Sea salt and black pepper TO SERVE

Thin cucumber slices Watercress

Lemon rounds

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Take 2 large sheets of foil and place on top of each other in a roasting tin. Brush oil over both pieces of foil, place the salmon on top, then brush the salmon with oil too.

Put the parsley sprig, lemon slices and bay leaves into the body cavity. Crimp the edges of the foil together to make a parcel, but just before sealing, pour in the wine. Seal tightly and bake the fish in the oven for 50-60min.

To make the mayo, place the egg yolks in a food processor and add the lemon juice, mustard and a good pinch of salt. Whiz until just combined. With the motor still running, slowly pour the oil through the funnel in a fine, slow stream until it’s incorporated and has emulsified. Fold the lemon and lime zest through and season to taste.

Allow the fish to cool in the parcel, then gently peel off the skin. Serve cold, garnished with thinly sliced cucumber, watercress, lemon slices and mayonnaise.