Warm Roasted Fennel and Smoked Salmon Salad - with lemon crème fraîche and peppered honey

Sweet, salty and smoky

This is easy peasy to throw together and a wonderful way to introduce a new and slightly unusual vegetable into your diet.

The aniseed of the fennel mellows as you roast it, turning sweet and silky which compliments the smoky salmon wonderfully. The lemon crème fraîche and peppered honey are a wonderful addition.

I made this for my good friend, fellow foodie and colleage, Jemima. Thanks for being the perfect taster and one of my most loyal recipe tester!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 fennel bulbs

• 2 red onions

• 1 tbsp capers

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 200g frozen peas

• 200g smoked salmon

• 150 g crème fraîche

• 1 lemon

• 6 tbsp honey

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• salt and pepper to taste

(Notes, variations and substitutions found below the method)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC/180oc (fan).

2. Remove the sprigs of the fennel and place the leafy sprigs in a separate dish.

3. Chop the fennel bulbs and red onions into equal sized wedges (about 1.5 cm thick). Place them in a large baking dish with the capers. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the fennel is soft and slightly charred.

4. Meanwhile boil the kettle, once boiled pour over the frozen peas. After the fennel has been in the oven for 40 minutes add the defrosted peas and half the salmon - torn into pieces. Bake for a further 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile mix together the crème fraîche and zest of one lemon in one dish. In another dish mix together the honey and pepper. Put both to one side.

6. Remove the fennel from the oven, scatter over the remaining salmon and squeeze over the juice of the lemon. Dollop the lemon crème fraîche all over and drizzle with the peppered honey. Finally garnish with the fennel sprigs.

7. Serve with boiled new potatoes as a delicious lunch or light summer supper.

Notes, variations and substitutions

• Crème fraîche: replace with yogurt, sour cream or soy yogurt if you're lactose free.

• Salmon: Any smoked fish works wonderfully here, particularly smoked trout, but even mackerel.

Make is vegetarian: You could replace the fish with egg - I think poached would be lovely. Or just simply add more fennel and onions to make it vegan.