Roast Salmon with Asparagus

I am not a magazine fanatic, but I have been partial to the odd food magazine. Now though, they have become glossy, advert filled, low on content, or high on repeat content and if that was for a couple of pounds I could probably put up with it for the odd gem, but they are quite often nearly £5 and with the availability of recipe information on the internet, unless I want something different to read on holiday I tend to avoid them.
One magazine I do stick by is Sainsbury's magazine. It's recipes are always spot on, there's always a good range in each edition, of ingredients as well as types of dishes. They always have good guest contributors, such as one of my favourites Nigel Slater, look at new products both to eat and to cook with and they often focus in depth on the foods that are currently in season.

In the May edition there is a recipe for a one tray bake. I made it the day after I got the magazine as it looked so appealing, we were having a late tea, so taking photos was the last thing on my mind when we eventually sat down to eat. So, in the interests of the Bungalow Blues, we just had to have it again a couple of days ago. As usual I've adapted it a little bit.

Roast Salmon with Asparagus


Adjust the quantities according to however many diners you have.

Heat the oven to GM7/200C/425F.

Take a 750g bag of new potatoes, something like Charlottes, that are golden and creamy. Halve them and then toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, about a tablespoon full, some freshly milled salt and pepper.

Tip the potatoes into an oven proof tin or baking tray in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes.

Prepare 200-400g of fine asparagus (the recipe suggests 200g but we like it so I used 2 packs) and then put them in a bowl with 4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets and as with the potatoes, toss with about a tablespoon of olive oil and some freshly ground salt and pepper. Wash and quarter an unwaxed lemon.

When the 25 minutes are up, the potatoes should be golden and just about cooked. Take the tray out of the oven, and add in the asparagus and salmon, arrange in the lemon slices .

Put back in the oven for about another 10 minutes, until the salmon is just cooked, the potatoes are soft and the asparagus is tender.

We had ours with a nice bowl of salad, but some green beans and carrot batons would also go well.

I usually steam my asparagus, but it's not a patch on roasted asparagus, I don't think I will cook it any other way now. The salmon completely melts in your mouth and the potatoes have a really lovely creamy texture and oily, salty, lemony taste.

The family have demanded we have this at least once a week for the foreseeable future and even though Lauren always asks for asparagus or "sparrowsguts" as it is known at the table, this is the first time I've seen her eat it all up and ask for more.