Sophie Grigson's salmon with salsa verde

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 x 150g Salmon fillet portions

• Juice 1 lemon

• A little oil

• Leaves and upper stalks of half a bunch of watercress

• Salt and pepper

For the watercress salsa verde:

• Leaves and upper stalks of 1 bunch of watercress

• 1 stale slice of white bread, torn up roughly

• 6 tinned anchovy fillets

• 25 g capers

• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1 shallot

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 190 ml olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas Mark 7.

Make the salsa verde first. Put the leaves and bread into the processor bowl  with all the remaining salsa ingredients except the oil. Whizz, gradually trickling in the oil to form a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings. It should be slightly sharp but not too acidic. If necessary, add more oil or bread to dampen the sharpness. Pour into a bowl, cover and set aside.

Arrange the salmon fillets in a shallow oven proof dish. Rub with olive oil, squeeze over the lemon juice, then season with salt and cayenne pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes until just cooked through. Meanwhile make a bed of watercress on a serving dish. Once cooked, place the salmon on the watercress, pour over any juices from the dish, then stir the salsa verde and spoon a little over the salmon steaks. Serve immediately.