Roast salmon stuffed with watercress

Serves 6

• 115g unsalted butter
• 1 lemon
• 200g watercress
• 120g breadcrumbs
• 1 small banana shallot
• 0 black pepper
• 1 whole salmon
• 1 lemon

Step 1
Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas 3½.

Step 2
Put 90g of the butter, the lemon zest and half the juice, the watercress, breadcrumbs, shallot and plenty of seasoning in a bowl and mash together with your hands until well mixed.

Step 3
Spread the stuffing inside the cavity of the salmon.

Step 4
Tie the salmon together at intervals with kitchen string, so that the space between each set of ties is roughly one portion – try to achieve equal portions while taking into account that the salmon tapers towards the tail end.

Step 5
Cut a slit in each segment of salmon and insert a half-slice of lemon (you may not need all the slices).

Step 6
You can protect the head and thinner tail end of the fish with a layer of well-greased foil, to slow their cooking.

Step 7
Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the fish and spread the remaining 25g butter over the top.

Step 8
Roast for 30 minutes, or until it is cooked through, and is lovely and moist.

Step 9
Serve on a bed of watercress.