This week's recipe is one of Emily English’s recipes, the crispy potato salmon and leek bake, slightly adapted. I make it regularly in the winter months - it's easy, comforting, and healthy too. The kids love it as much as we do. 

Crispy Salmon and Leek Bake

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2 salmon fillets

  • 500g baby potatoes

  • 20g butter

  • 1 leek, sliced

  • 2 spring onions

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • Handful of spinach (or frozen)

  • 40g cheddar cheese

  • 350ml milk

  • 1tbsp plain flour

  • 1 chicken stock pot or cube

  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

  • Handful of parsley

  • Olive oil

  • Squeeze of lemon

  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Boil the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Cut 500g skin-on baby potatoes in half or quarters. Boil in salted water until a knife goes through easily.

  2. Soften leek and garlic: While the potatoes cook, sweat 1 leek, sliced and 2 garlic cloves, minced in a pan with the butter and a pinch of salt and pepper until soft.

  3. Build the sauce: Sprinkle into the softened leeks 1 tbsp plain flour, mix, then slowly whisk in 350ml milk until combined. Bring to a simmer to thicken.

  4. Finish the filling: Add 1 chicken stock cube and 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, simmer for a few minutes, then stir in 1 handful of spinach until wilted. Turn off the heat and stir through a squeeze of lemon.

  5. Add the salmon: Fold 2 skinless salmon fillets, diced into the sauce, then tip into a suitable baking dish (or bake in the same pan if oven safe).

  6. Mash the potatoes: Drain the potatoes and tip into a bowl. Add 30g of the 40g cheddar, grated (I usually just go by eye, never too much cheese), 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 spring onions, chopped and a handful of fresh parsley chopped, plus salt and pepper. Roughly mash with a fork, leaving nice chunky pieces.

  7. Assemble and bake: Top the salmon mix with the mash. Scatter over the remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown.

Notes. freezes well unbaked. Defrost fully in the fridge before baking.