salmon with fennel and tomatoes

I really love finding ways to adapt much-loved recipes and turn them into something new. This recipe is based on a dish I used to make with sausages but which I’ve not eaten since moving to Germany as I’m not keen on most of the sausages that are available here (a bit too processed/bouncy for my liking).

Despite missing and thinking about this dish quite often it has taken me around 3 years to think about trying a version with salmon in place of the sausages. It’s a shame it has taken so long as this works really well.

There are a few changes to the original but in simple terms, roast sliced fennel with cherry tomatoes, garlic, some herbs, white wine, lemon and fennel seeds. Then, when the vegetables have softened, put the pieces of salmon on top of the mix and put it back in the oven until the fish has cooked through. I love eating this with lots of bread and butter, so I can mop up the juices.

Salmon baked with fennel and cherry tomatoes (serves 2)

1 large bulb fennel, thinly sliced (keep the fronds aside if you want to use them as a garnish for the finished dish)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

500g cherry tomatoes

1 bay leaves

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

olive oil, about a tablespoon

juice of half a lemon

2 pieces of salmon (each big enough for one person)

salt and black pepper

bread, for serving

preheat the oven to 200c.

on a large roasting tray, mix the fennel, onion, tomatoes, herbs and garlic. drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, season and mix again. cook for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes, by which time the vegetables will have begun to soften. Add the salmon, on top of the vegetables and return to the oven, cooking for c15 minutes, until the salmon is ready.

If the fennel and tomato mix is too liquid for your liking, you can remove the salmon and keep it warm in the oven then tip the vegetables and herbs into a large saucepan and bring it to the boil, letting them bubble away until the sauce thickens to a consistency that you like.

Serve with warm bread, to mop up the juices.