Recipe OF THE WEEK

SALMON WITH FENNEL

Serves 4

Cooking time: 30 minutes

2 fennel bulbs

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 salmon fillets (about 110g each)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Plain flour, for coating

80g butter

A splash of white wine

100ml whipping cream

30g grated Parmesan 1 Preheat your oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas mark 7.

2 Remove the green fronds from the fennel bulbs and set aside. Slice each bulb into eight segments, and then place into water mixed with lemon juice and set aside.

3 Cut each salmon fillet into four chunks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and coat in flour. Heat 40g of the butter in a frying pan set over a medium heat.

4 Add the salmon chunks and seal on both sides, for about three to four minutes. Add a splash of white wine and cook for a further minute. Remove the salmon and set aside. 5 In the same pan, heat the remaining butter, add the fennel segments and some salt and pepper, and cook on a medium–high heat for a couple of minutes on both sides. 6 Combine the cream, Parmesan and lemon zest and season with some more salt and pepper. 7 Arrange the fennel in an ovenproof dish, place the salmon chunks on top and pour over the creamy mixture. Bake in the hot oven for five minutes, until golden. Serve, sprinkled with the reserved fennel fronds.

Salmon and fennel go well

together and adding the

creamy sauce makes a

very tasty meal – and

it’s so quick to prepare

From Gennaro Contaldo’s Fast Cook Italian, published by Pavilion Books IMAGE: KIM LIGHTBODY