Grilled salmon with pea and leek broth

Serves 4

(Jason Lowe)

A piece of wild salmon or sea trout freshly grilled is great just simply served as a starter or main with a light broth of peas and leeks. If you have made the pea soup recipe (on the previous page) you can just use a little of that thinned down with some fish stock.

4 salmon fillets weighing about 150-160g (100g for starters) boned with the skin on or off
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little vegetable or corn oil for brushing

For the broth

Use the pea and fennel soup recipe thinned down with a little fish stock

To garnish

8 or so young leeks, trimmed, washed and halved
60-70g or so of podded peas, cooked
A couple of good knobs of butter

Cook the leeks in boiling salted water, then drain. Heat the broth and add the leeks and peas; season to taste, then stir in the butter. The broth should be single-cream consistency; just add a little stock if you need to.

Meanwhile, preheat a ribbed griddle or heavy-based frying pan, season the salmon and lightly brush the pan with oil. Cook the salmon for 2-3 minutes on each side with the skin side down first, keeping it a little pink.

To serve, spoon the leeks, peas and broth into deep serving plates and place the salmon on top.