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Ingredients

  • 1 lemon, finely sliced
  • small bunch of thyme
  • reserved dill stalks (from the mayonnaise recipe below)
  • side of salmon (about 1-1.2kg), cut from the tail end
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

For the potatoes

For the dill & mustard mayonnaise

  • 200g mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard
  • small bunch of dill, leaves picked, stalks reserved

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Scatter the lemon slices, thyme sprigs and reserved dill stalks over the base of a large, shallow roasting tin or baking tray. Season the salmon generously with salt and pepper and rub half the olive oil all over the fish. Lay the salmon skin-side up on top of the lemon and herbs. Roast for 45-50 mins until the fish feels firm and a corner of skin peels away easily. If you have a digital thermometer, the salmon should be at about 55C when ready. Leave to cool slightly in the tin.

  • STEP 2

    While the salmon is cooking, tip the potatoes into a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 mins until just tender. Drain. Mix the mustard, lemon juice and olive oil together in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Tip the hot potatoes into the bowl and toss to coat in the dressing. Set aside. Can be served hot or made a day ahead and chilled.

  • STEP 3

    Carefully lift the salmon onto a serving platter, if you like (it can also be served directly from the tin). Peel away and discard the skin, then use a cutlery knife to neatly scrape away the grey meat on top (see quick fishcakes recipe, below, to use it up), leaving the pink flesh underneath. The salmon is now ready to eat warm, or leave to cool completely and eat at room temperature. (See tip for garnishing the salmon, below.) Will keep chilled for up to two days. Can be served cold.

  • STEP 4

    For the mayonnaise, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Can be made a day ahead and kept chilled. Just before serving, brush the rest of the olive oil over the salmon and season with sea salt. Serve with the potato salad and dill & mustard mayonnaise on the side.

Recipe tips

EASY MAYONNAISE

If you want to have a go at making your own mayonnaise, tip 2 egg yolks and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard into a jug, then pour over 250ml sunflower oil. Blitz with a hand blender, moving it up and down until the mixture has emulsified and thickened. Season. Add 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice and whizz again.

QUICK FISHCAKES

Mix any grey meat scraped off the salmon with 300g potatoes, cooked and smashed, and 1 egg, beaten. Shape into fishcakes, coat in flour and fry in sunflower oil until golden.

GARNISHING THE SALMON

If you like, brush the salmon lightly with Dijon mustard, then scatter with a small handful of dill (or use parsley or a mixture). You could also garnish with cucumber or lemon slices.

GRIDDLED ASPARAGUS

Make the most of the end of asparagus season with this side. Toss 20 asparagus spears in a drizzle of olive oil. Cook in a hot griddle pan over a medium-high heat for 10 mins until charred all over, then dress in olive oil and lemon juice, or simply toss with the potatoes.

ETON MESS STATION

For a sweet treat for a crowd, make an Eton mess station. Put crushed mini meringues in one bowl, sweetened whipped cream in another and chopped strawberries in a third alongside a stack of serving bowls for everyone to dig in.

Goes well with

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