Name: Raymond Blanc’s whole roast salmon
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients: 1 large potato, sliced 1mm thick (see tips); 1 large carrot, sliced 1mm thick (see tips); 2.5-3kg whole organic salmon, scaled, gutted and cleaned (see tips); ½ bunch fresh thyme, leaves stripped; 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped; 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated and crushed, skin on; 3 preserved lemons, cut in half, flesh removed and thinly sliced or chopped; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 3 little gem lettuces, cut into quarters; 200g radishes, trimmed and halved if large; 250g asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds; ½ bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped; ½ bunch fresh chervil, roughly chopped (see tips)

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Arrange the sliced potato and carrot in an even layer over the base of a large roasting tin. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Put the salmon on a large chopping board and score the skin and flesh to the bone, 3-5 times on each side. Stuff the cuts and cavity with the thyme, rosemary, garlic and preserved lemons, then put in the tin on top of the sliced vegetables (see Make Ahead).

Drizzle over the olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, then roast for 40 minutes.

Remove the fish from the oven and check to make sure it’s cooked through – at the thickest part, the flesh should easily come away from the bone when you test it with a knife. Cover the salmon lightly with foil, then leave to rest while you prepare the spring vegetables.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan (with a lid) over a high heat. Add the lettuce wedges, radishes, 50ml cold water and some salt and pepper, then cook for 4-5 minutes until the lettuce stalks and radishes begin to soften.

Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 1 minute more, then remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley and chervil.

Transfer the vegetables and salmon to a large serving platter (or serve the roast potatoes and carrots, salmon and spring vegetables on separate dishes), then pour the cooking juices over the salmon. Put the platter in the centre of the table and let your guests help themselves.

Per serving (Serves 8-10)

Calories

737kcals

Fat

49.8g (9g saturated)

Protein

63.2g

Carbohydrates

7.6g (2.4g sugars)

Fibre

3.3g

Quick wins, tips & make ahead

Use a mandoline to cut the vegetables, or slice as thinly as possible using a sharp knife (they won’t get quite as crisp but they’ll still cook through).

If you discover your oven isn’t large enough to accommodate the whole fish, remove the head before stuffing the salmon.

Fresh chervil, though common in French cooking, can be hard to find. Buy it from finefoodspecialist.co.uk or ask your greengrocer. If you can’t find it, use extra parsley or tarragon.