Easy Peasy - Salmon with minted peas

Wow, back and blogging after a wonderful trip to France, which was full of good food, good company, heat, light and relaxation; well as much as it can be with Lola and Finn and a motor home in the mix. Whilst I won't bore you with the minutiae; let's face it there are other blog posts in which I will be able to do that, but I derived plenty of pleasure from cooking up a meal or two from produce acquired from the markets and shops which just seems to taste so much better than some of the stuff that I buy at home. If ever there was a reason to buy in season and avoid a large percentage of British supermarkets and their obsession with identical fruit and vegetables, then the eventual taste is the reason. In fact I take great delight in the fact that I did a 'big shop' on my return and bought the ugliest tomatoes I have ever seen, all misshapen and gnarly looking but when it comes down to it, will impart flavour that will be tomatoey. The lookers in Tesco (or ASDA, etc.) wouldn't even come close.

Anyhow, I digress, and whilst I could bang on forever about the reasons why French food is so damn good that is not what this blog post is about. It is about simplicity however, and evidence if it were needed that you don't need to do much to good food to make it taste fabulous.

Salmon with minted peas

Ingredients:

2 salmon steaks

300g frozen peas

150ml chicken stock

1 finely chopped shallot

freshly chopped mint, to taste.

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Season the salmon and place in a preheated oven 220c. Roast for about 10- 15 minutes, but don't overcook. The centre of the salmon should still be glassy.

Meanwhile, heat up the chicken stock and place the chopped shallot in to the stock and allow to cook a little to take their rawness away. Then add the peas and cook until the peas are soft, about five minutes.

Add some chopped mint, and then taste for seasoning.

Once you are happy with the seasoning, begin to mash the peas into the stock. I like mine crushed but you can mash quite vigorously if you like.

Take the salmon out of the oven and allow to rest for a couple of minutes.

Plate up the dish by piling up the peas in the middle of the plate, and then rest the piece of salmon on top. Serve with a wedge of lemon and a sprig of mint if you like.