Salmon with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Mascarpone

Serves:  4

Preparation:  20 minutes

Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Category:  Fish

Plan:  Best made freshly on the day

Difficulty:  Medium

Course:  Main

Cuisine:  Lunch, Dinner or Entertaining

This is a fabulous way to cook fresh Atlantic Wild Salmon and to use Jersey New Royals and English Asparagus with a truly sensational sauce.

This wonderful recipe was featured in Country Life Magazine contributed by their kitchen garden cook, Melanie Johnson. 

As soon as I set my eyes on this, I knew it was one I had to try and was a resounding success with the family and definitely one to use if entertaining guests.  Click here for the original recipe

Dishes like this are elevated to another level if you have access to fresh garden produce, especially plenty of herbs - picked at the last minutes, chopped and sprinkled on your dish - you will find the taste is really special.

Having had nearly six months break from cooking, this is the one that has got me really enthusiastic once more and I think you will love it, too.

Ingredients

• A splash of olive oil
• 4 salmon fillets (I used Wild Atlantic Salmon)
• 4 shallots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 100g mascarpone
• 50g baby spinach
• 150g sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ juice of one lemon

For the Garnish

• 30g Parmesan, grated
• A handful fresh basil leaves

To Serve

• 1kg Jersey Royals
• 30g butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• fresh seasonal vegetables

Method

1. Heat a large frying pan and add a splash of olive oil, then place the fillets skin side down.     This should make the skins lovely and crispy.
   
   
2. Turn the fillets over and turn off the heat and cover in foil - the fish will now finish cooking and will remain soft and juicy.
   
   
3. Meanwhile, mince the garlic, set aside.
   
   
4. Take the shallots, remove the skins and finely chop and set aside.
   
   
5. Take the sun dried tomatoes and cut these up with kitchen scissors and then set aside.
   
   
6. Wash the Jersey Royals (or new salad potatoes if making this dish at other times in the year), cut into small chunks and boil in salted water for about 10-12 minutes. 
    
7. When pierced easily with a sharp knife, drain, and toss in plenty of butter and sprinkle with the chopped chives.  Cover and leave in a warm oven. 
   
   
8. Remove the fish from the pan, cover with foil and keep warm.
   
   
9. Turn the heat up and add the shallots, cook to soften them and then add the garlic for a minute. Sprinkle over the flour and mix it in to create a paste.
   
   
10. Pour in the stock, mix it with the paste and then add the lemon juice, seasoning, and sun-dried tomatoes.
    
    
11. Now add the mascarpone and then and add the spinach, stirring it through the sauce to make it wilt.
    
    
12. Return the salmon to the pan to cook through.
    
    
13. Finally, garnish with gratings of fresh Parmesan and a small handful of freshly chopped chive and fresh basil leaves.
    
    
14. Serve with the buttered Jersey Royals and we served this with new English asparagus, fine green beans and baby sprouting broccoli.
    
    
15. Bon appetit!.