Whole Roasted Salmon Stuffed with Lemon & Herbs

Preheat your oven to 450F.

Prepare a large roasting pan that will fit the fish. (You can lay the fish diagonally across the tray if that works better).

Scatter the sliced potatoes over the base of the tray and season well with salt and pepper.

Scatter leeks over the top and give it all a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Prepare the fish.

Pick half the leaves from each of the herb bunches and put them on a chopping board, keeping the remainder to one side. Grate the lemon zest over the herbs then roughly chop everything together.

Scrape this mixture into a bowl and wipe the board down with a piece of kitchen paper.

Transfer the salmon to the board, then wipe it inside and out with a fresh piece of kitchen paper.Make sure there are no scales on the silvery salmon skin the fishmonger should have taken all of these off for you. If there are any left on there, scrape them with a blunt knife until they come off.

Make vertical slashes in the skin on both sides of the salmon from its back towards its tummy about 1-inch deep and at an angle, so you leave a flap of skin you can stuff your herbs under.Make about 6 slashes on each side of the fish. Sprinkle salt and pepper into each slash, then stuff with a pinch of your lemon-herb mix. Smooth the flaps down again and drizzle the fish allover with a light coating of olive oil. Lay it on top of your potatoes and leeks.

Take the leftover herb bunches and stuff them inside the belly cavity of the fish, then slice up one of the zested lemons and stuff these slices in there as well.

Bake the fish at 450F for 15 minutes, and then turn the temperature down to 350F and cook for another 30 minutes.

To check the fish is cooked, take a clean skewer and push it into the deepest part of the fish,just behind the head. Count to 10, then carefully take the skewer out and hold it against your top lip. If its nice and warm, the fish is cooked. Remove from oven.

While its still warm, carefully remove the skin on one side with a blunt knife, working from the top of the head to the tail. Repeat on the other side until all skin is removed. (Optional!)

Squeeze the juice of your remaining lemon over the top, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve.

Nutritional information per serving:Calories (Kcal): 735; Carbohydrates (g): 35.1; Fat (g): 49.9; Protein (g): 79.9; Sodium (mg): 201; Sugar (g): 2.2.