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  • 400g pack asparagus
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 salmon
    fillets, about 140g/5oz each, skinned
  • 2 lemons
  • 50g butter
    melted
  • 6 tbsp coarse breadcrumb
  • 1 tbsp coarsely ground or crushed peppercorn
  • small bunch chives
    chopped to serve

Nutrition: per serving

  • kcal459
  • fat29g
  • saturates10g
  • carbs17g
  • sugars2g
  • fibre2g
  • protein33g
  • salt0.65g
    low

Method

  • step 1

    Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cook the asparagus in a pan of boiling salted water for 1 min, drain, then run under the cold tap for a few secs. Drain again, toss in olive oil and spread out to a single layer in a large ovenproof roasting tin. Check the salmon for pin-bones, then arrange on top of the asparagus.

  • step 2

    To make the crust, finely grate the zest of 1 lemon, then add this to the butter, breadcrumbs and pepper, and sprinkle liberally over the salmon. Cut the lemons into wedges. Nestle two-thirds of the wedges around the fish, then squeeze the juice from the remainder directly over the fish.

  • step 3

    Roast fish for 12-15 mins or until it is just cooked through, it should be opaque and firm (see How to cook it, below left). Sprinkle with chives, then serve immediately with buttered new potatoes.

RECIPE TIPS
WHY IS IT DIFFERENT COLOURS?

Farmed salmon often has a nature identical (artificial) colourant added to the food to colour the flesh. Organic salmon is quite pale although a natural pigment is included in their diet. Some Wild Pacific slamon is a very rich pink colour due to its natural diet.

BUY RESPONSIBLY

Atlantic salmon is widely available from farmed sources, so buy this rather than wild Atlantic salmon, which is increasingly scarce. Try to buy organic salmon, which is certified by the strict guidelines of the Soil Association or RSPCA-certified salmon, which is labelled Freedom Food and is guaranteed to have been farmed responsibly.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2007

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Comments, questions and tips (14)

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Overall rating

A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.13 ratings

lindylou1

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

I have just made this using lemon and pepper breadcrumbs from a well known supermarket. Delicious, and salmon very moist. Served with roasted med veg. Will definitely make again!

Stephenhowlett

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Family loved this.

TheWheelchairGamer

I am doing this with food, I can't wait. Salmon is my favourite fish!

kasiafronck

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Good idea! I added blanched broccoli and spinach to the asparagus as well, and left out the lemon juice and wedges completely. I should have added extra zest to compensate. My fish must have been tiny as it was ready in 10 minutes. Instead of melted butter I added a few squirts of butter…

greenspecs

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Nice recipe but we found the cooking times too short. It needed around 4 mins to blanch the (fresh English) asparagus that we used so as to properly bring out the flavour. The salmon needed 20mins to cook. We enjoyed the result though!

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