crispy fried salmon with spring vegetable broth

method

First, make the aïoli. When you've done that, bring your stock to a boil in a large pan, then add your fennel and allow this to boil for 4 minutes while you heat up a nonstick frying pan. Take your salmon steaks and, if you fancy it, you could finely slice a little of your mint and basil and push this into the score marks. Pat the salmon steaks with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place skin-side down in the frying pan. Leave them for 2 minutes to get really crispy, then check how they're doing. They'll want around 4 minutes on the skin side and 1 minute on the other. You'll get an idea of how they're cooking as you'll see the salmon change color.

When the fennel has had 4 minutes, add the green beans and the fava beans. Give them a further 2 minutes. By this time you will probably want to turn over the salmon steaks for their last minute. Add the peas to the other veg and cook for a final 2 minutes. Don't be tempted to overcook the salmon — remove it from the heat. Divide the vegetables between 4 bowls, rip over the mint and basil, ladle over some of your hot cooking stock and place the salmon on top. Serve with a dollop of aïoli. Fantastic!

serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 aïoli recipe (see page 203)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, lightly seasoned
• 8 baby bulbs of fennel, stalks removed and herby tops reserved
• 4 6—8oz salmon steaks, scored (see page 199)
extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• around 3 1/2 oz green beans, tops removed
• around 3 1/2 oz shelled fava beans

• around 3 1/2 oz shelled peas 1 small handful of fresh mint, ripped
• 1 small handful of basil, leaves picked