Name: Salmon stuffed with creamy spinach
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 150g spinach; 1 garlic clove, crushed; ½ dill; garlic and herb soft cheese (we used Boursin); 1 lemon, zested and halved; ½ side of salmon (about 600g); 2 tbsp olive oil; new potatoes, fennel salad or steamed greens, to serve

salmon stuffed with a green herby mixture and topped with dill fronds on a blue chopping board with a green napkin

150g spinach
1 garlic clove
crushed
½ dill
garlic and herb soft cheese
(we used Boursin)
1 lemon
zested and halved
½ side of salmon
(about 600g)
2 tbsp olive oil
new potatoes, fennel salad or steamed greens
to serve

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Pour a kettle of just-boiled water over the spinach in a colander in the sink until wilted. Rinse under cool water then squeeze out any liquid by wringing it out in a clean tea towel. Finely chop, and add to a bowl with the garlic, dill, cheese and lemon zest, and mash together with a fork. Season well.
step 2
Put the salmon on a board, skin-side down, and take a long sharp knife (a carving knife works well) and start to make a pocket in the middle of the salmon from the thickest part of the piece. Make a pocket most of the way down the flesh, then open it out sideways slightly, making sure both sides are still intact. Make another pocket from the other side of the salmon, and join up with the other side so there’s a hollow down the fillet.
step 3
Spoon the filling into the pocket from both sides, and spread out evenly by pressing down on the top of the salmon gently to press the filling down along the gap into the middle. Transfer to an oiled roasting tin and drizzle the flesh with more oil. Season well. Add the zested lemon halves, cut-side down, to the tin. Roast for 20 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and the fish is gently flaking. Transfer to a platter and cut the caramelised lemon into wedges. Squeeze over and serve with new potatoes, a fennel salad or steamed greens.