Oven roasted salmon with fennel and tomatoes Recipe

Oven roasted salmon is a super-healthy dish that is blissfully easy to make and brightens any table. For our oven roasted salmon we’ve used a large side of salmon which is full of vitamins and makes a wonderful centrepiece for an Easter or even Christmas feast. Melt in the mouth Isle of Wight tomatoes are in their element with baby herb leaves, combined with palette-cleansing fennel and lemon slices.

How can I tell when my oven roasted salmon is cooked?

A standard, supermarket side of salmon typically weighs between 800kg and 1.2kg. It may weight a little more if you get it fresh from a fishmonger and it still has some bones and fatty edges. As a general rule, trim the fish if necessary then err on the side of caution and oven cook for no more than 20 minutes to retain pinkness. If baking salmon and covering it in foil or parchment, you can bake for longer - up to 45 minutes - on lower heat settings.

How many people does a side of salmon serve?

An average supermarket side of salmon will serve around 8 people, more if a whopper. If buying a whole side and wanting to make it last, trim the thinner, tail end off and chop that into three or four small fillet sections which can be frozen and used later. Now you have left the thickest part of the salmon which will cook nice and evenly.

Can you marinate salmon for too long?

Yes you can! If you are using a marinade which contains acidic flavours such as lemon or vinegar, this ‘cures’ the fish and eventually toughens up the flesh. You would not want to marinade a lovely side of salmon in acidic flavours for longer than 30 minutes. Other marinades without acids work well on salmon left for hours or overnight.