Salmon and Potato Bake

Recipe tags

• Family Favourite
• Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 kg White Potatoes
• 1 item Onion
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Plain Flour
• 25 g Butter
• 200 ml Double Cream
• 3 handfuls Spinach
• 3 items Salmon Fillet
• 50 g Gruyère

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then simmer the potatoes for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the red onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the flour and season well.
3. Wilt the spinach in a pan over a medium heat, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Butter a 1.2-litre ovenproof dish and layer up the potatoes and onion with the salmon and the spinach, ending with a layer of potato.
4. Pour the cream over the top. Sprinkle with the Gruyère and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Notes

• Salmon and potato bake layered with tender salmon, spinach and creamy onions, topped with golden potatoes and Gruyère. A comforting, easy family dinner that feels a little special without being complicated.

Tips

• Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. A mandoline can help if you have one.
• Don’t skip the initial simmering of the potatoes. It gives them a head start so they become tender during the relatively short baking time.
• Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the wilted spinach before adding it to the dish. Too much water can make the sauce thin.
• If the top is colouring too quickly before the potatoes are tender, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

Swaps and substitutes

• You can try another firm fish such as cod, haddock or smoked haddock.
• Gruyère: Cheddar, Emmental or another good melting cheese will work well.
• Double cream: Single cream can be used for a lighter sauce, although the finished bake will be less rich.
• Spinach: Swap for kale, chard or another leafy green, cooking it until softened first.
• Onion: Leeks make a particularly good alternative with salmon.

Equipment and cleaning

• The baking dish is likely to have cream and cheese baked around the edges, so leave it to soak in warm soapy water while you eat. Rinse the potato saucepan soon after draining it to stop starch drying onto the sides. Wipe out the frying pan while it is still slightly warm, once safe to handle, as the onion and flour mixture will come away more easily.

No-waste tips

• Leftover spinach: Add it to pasta, omelettes, curries or soups later in the week.
• Remaining cream: Use it in a pasta sauce, soup, scrambled eggs or another creamy bake.
• Extra Gruyère: Grate and freeze it in a labelled container so it is ready for gratins, toasties or pasta dishes.
• Leftover cooked bake: Portion any remaining servings rather than leaving the whole dish in the fridge, making them easier to use for another meal.