Super smoked salmon salad

Ha! See what I did there? Alliteration (all these years studying English literature finally paying off). While going through my recent recipes I noticed that meat's been sorta in the spotlight, so here's some fish for ya. 

I have a confession to make. Here goes: I love fish, but don't cook it often enough. And there's only one reason: bones! I just don't have the patience to pick them out. Smoked salmon wins when it comes to easy dinners: no bones, no cooking, just open the packet and bam! Dinner is ready. Well, almost. But you know me - I refuse to slave away in the kitchen on a weekday night.

Incredibly light and fresh, this salad can be thrown together quickly and packs some great flavours.

To make enough for two you'll need:

150 g smoked salmon

500 g waxy potatoes (I used Charlotte potatoes)

2 handfuls of watercress

2 handfuls of lamb's lettuce

half a cucumber

handful of broad beans (I used frozen)

2 beetroots (I buy them cooked, peeled and vacuum packed)

1tsp of mixed herbs

salt, pepper to season

half a lemon

olive oil

Start off by heating up the oven to 190 C and start boiling water for potatoes and broad beans (in separate pots). We're multitasking here, but you're hungry, correct? Line a small tray with baking parchment.

Slice beetroot into 1cm thick slices and arrange on the baking tray. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Pop into the oven for about 20-25 minutes. 

 

Chop potatoes into smallish wedges and cube the cucumber.

Pop potatoes into a pot (seriously, what's with this alliteration today?) and boil them until soft. Use waxy potatoes because they hold their shape better and won't turn into mush (technical term). And while you're popping things into pots give your broad beans the same treatment and boil until soft (this should take about 20 minutes if they are frozen).

Right, while the vegetables are roasting and cooking, you have some time to cut salmon into smaller pieces (use kitchen scissors). Arrange watercress and lamb's lettuce on a plate and add a squeeze of lemon. 

Scatter cucumber cubes on top. Now drain your potatoes and take beetroot out of the oven (you almost forgot it was there, right?). Drain broad beans, give them a quick rinse with cold water and shell them. Arrange beetroot and potato slices on top of the greens, season with salt, pepper and a few squeezes of lemon, top with salmon, broad beans and parmesan shavings. A drizzle of olive oil and you can tuck in!

This post doesn't contain photos of particular stages of the process. Hungry husband breathing down my neck does not a good photo environment make ;) While he was munching away I was left in the kitchen to snap some more pics, so here goes one more (okay, two)!

Since it's been meat, fish and savoury things for the last few weeks expect a recipe for cake soon!