Bill Granger recipe: Whole roast salmon with fennel, baby tomatoes and garlic-herb pangrattato

Serves 6-8

Whole roast salmon with fennel, baby tomatoes and pangrattato (Laura Edwards)

I usually pair the Mediterranean flavours of tomatoes and fennel with white fish, but after trying this combination the other day, I'm hooked – the salmon makes for a richer result, which suits the change in temperature perfectly.

1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 lemons, zested and sliced
1 tbsp sea salt
2kg salmon, gutted and cleaned
½ bunch parsley, chopped, stalks reserved
1 bulb fennel, sliced lengthways
2 red onions, sliced into rings
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
200g cherry tomatoes on the vine
200g cherry yellow tomatoes on the vine
3 thick slices sourdough, torn into small pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Grind the fennel seeds, chilli, zest and salt with a mortar and pestle then sprinkle the mix inside and over the salmon and place most of the lemon slices and the parsley stalks into the cavity. Lay the rest of the lemon slices on the base of a large baking tray, then put the salmon on top.

Arrange the fennel and onion in the tray then drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the tomatoes and an extra drizzle of oil, and cook for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan, add the bread pieces and garlic and cook over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Remove and allow to cool before stirring through the parsley.

Serve the fish with the veggies, extra pan juices and crunchy crumbs scattered over the top.