The thought of preparing a whol salmon, head, bones and all, may seem intimidating at first. But this is actually one of the easiest dishes, that can feed a large number of guests. No slicing, no marinating. And the best part is, it can be completed in less than 30 mins! Prepare it ahead of time, or you may even want to serve it cold with cucumber slices and watercress if you like.

-Chicka Ortega-Boutain

INGREDIENTS

1 whole salmon, gutted and cleaned
4 sprigs fresh parsley
½ lemon, sliced
2 bay leaves
150ml/5fl oz dry white wine
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat your oven to 375°F. Place the two large sheets of foil on top of each other on a roasting pan, and coat it with olive oil. Place the salmon on top, with parsley, bay leaves and lemon, salt and pepper, in the body cavity. Tip: Defrost the salmon overnight in the fridge before preparation. Cover with another sheet of foil, and fold the edges together but leave an opening to pour in the wine. Fold edges of the foil completely to seal. Put pan in the oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes. You can choose to serve dish hot or cold. Serve over a nice serving tray with lemon slices and sprigs of parsley.

Enjoy!