Lemon and Parsley Salmon

Ingredients

• 600g new potatoes halved
• 400g fine green beans
• 2 garlic cloves grated
• 1 lemon zested, half juiced, half cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped, plus a few leaves for garnish
• 4 salmon fillets
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
• 2 tbsp butter divided
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 1.5 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt plus a pinch for the sauce and extra for the cooking water, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper divided

Method

1. Boil the potatoes

   Boil the kettle. Pour the boiled water into a pan and bring back to the boil, then salt it well. Halve the new potatoes, add them to the pan and cook for around 15 minutes until tender. While they cook, grate the garlic and finely chop the parsley. Zest the lemon, then juice one half and cut the other half into wedges to serve.

2. Butter the potatoes

   Lift the potatoes out with a slotted spoon, saving the hot water in the pan. Toss the potatoes in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, then cover to keep warm.

3. Cook the green beans

   Using the same hot water, add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes until just tender and still vivid green. Drain, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with 1/4 tsp salt, and cover to keep warm.

4. Make the lemon sauce

   While the beans cook, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the grated garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the vegetable stock, the lemon zest, the juice from the squeezed half, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of chilli flakes if using. Simmer for 4–5 minutes to reduce by half, then stir in the 1 tbsp butter and the honey until glossy. Turn off the heat – the sauce will keep warm while you cook the salmon.

5. Fry the salmon

   Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1–2 minutes. Add the salmon skin-side down and cook without moving for 3–4 minutes until the skin is golden and releases easily. Flip and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the flesh is just opaque in the centre and flakes easily at its thickest point.

6. Finish the sauce and serve

   Stir the finely chopped parsley into the sauce just before serving, so it keeps its colour. Serve the salmon with the potatoes and green beans alongside, spoon the sauce around the fillet, scatter with the reserved parsley leaves and add a lemon wedge to each plate.

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