Tasty and so good for you!
This is absolutely the best recipe for salmon that I have ever tasted. It's so quick and easy to put together, it's healthy and, most importantly, tastes great!
It's healthy because salmon is classed as an oily fish - one of the main sources of omega3 fatty acids which is good for your general health, reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels and preventing arthritis and it is also a good source of vitamin D which reduces your risk of heart disease and cancer, strengthens bones and can alleviate depression by boosting the brain's ability to produce serotonin which is a 'feel-good' natural anti-depressant.
This dish also contains spinach which is high in calcium, folic acid, vitamins K & C and iron. Even if you think you hate spinach, do try it in this recipe and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised - it's certainly converted my lifelong spinach-hating husband!
The final ingredient in the recipe is cheese sauce which, if you make it with semi-skimmed milk and half fat cheddar cheese isn't too hard on your waistline while still being high in essential protein, calcium, potassium and vitamins A & D
This is a great store cupboard recipe as you can have the ingredients to hand in your freezer and larder and although quick and simple, it makes a great dinner party dish that can be prepared in advance and left to cook while you chat with your guests.
Ingredients and method
This recipe serves four people - it's very straightforward to halve or double the quantities as necessary - basically I use one salmon fillet and 4oz/100g of spinach per person and then adjust the quantity of cheese sauce accordingly.
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets - fresh or frozen
1Ib/400g pack of frozen spinach
1 pint/600ml of Cheese sauce - see below for a super-easy all in one method
Method
Place the salmon fillets in a single layer in a fairly shallow oven proof dish
Defrost the spinach, place in a strainer and squeeze the excess water out with the back of a spoon. Place in a bowl and chop with kitchen scissors if the spinach is the whole leaf type, adding freshly ground black pepper and a little grated nutmeg if liked (this really enhances the flavour of the spinach).
Spoon the cheese sauce over evenly making sure that all of the spinach is coated in the sauce. Finally sprinkle over some extra grated cheese - this can be mixed with breadcrumbs if liked to give an extra crunchy topping.
Place in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown. You can also place the dish under the grill (broiler) for the last few minutes to get a really crispy finish - watch carefully that it doesn't burn at this stage!
To Serve
I like to serve this with oven-sautéed potatoes - these are just potatoes that have been halved and parboiled for 5-10 minutes until just tender, then cut into 1 inch chunks and tossed in a baking tray with olive oil and a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. These can go in the oven at the same time as the fish and cooked till golden brown and crispy.
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Easy all in one cheese sauce
1 pint/600ml milk
2 oz/60g butter
2 oz/60 plain flour
2-3 oz/60-90g any hard cheese grated - English Cheddar is particularly good (plus a little extra to sprinkle on top)
Place the milk, butter and flour into the saucepan together. Heat gently whisking constantly with a balloon whisk or 'magic whisk' until the sauce thickens. Make sure that the sauce bubbles gently for a few minutes to be sure that all of the flour is cooked put and you don't get a raw taste.
Take the pan off the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly before stirring in the cheese - reserving some for the top.
Meg on October 26, 2015:
Made this tonight and the hubby loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on May 22, 2013:
Thank you Lesley - let me know what you think when you make it :)
Movie Master from United Kingdom on May 22, 2013:
What a great recipe, easy to make and sounds delicious!
I love salmon and will certainly be making this, thank you and voted up.
Best wishes Lesley
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on May 05, 2013:
Gracias Sam :)
Sam Matthews on May 05, 2013:
Sounds great!
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on April 30, 2012:
Thank you for your lovely comment thelyricwriter :)
My husband isn't generally fond of salmon or spinach but when they are combined in this way it's a dish that he really enjoys - I hope you do get to try it and enjoy it as much as he does!
Richard Ricky Hale from West Virginia on April 29, 2012:
Up, useful, and awesome. Suki, this was very well written and laid out. I have been wanting to eat healthy and salmon is a good start. Tried it once years ago and didn't like the taste. Perhaps, well I am sure of, this would be much better with your ingredients. Would love to try for sure.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on April 21, 2012:
It is delicious Thundermama and so easy - I hope your family enjoy it when you make it :)
Catherine Taylor from Canada on April 21, 2012:
This sounds delicious. I may finally get my family to eat fish with this recipe.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on November 10, 2011:
Thanks Sylvia - so glad you enjoyed it :)
Sylvia on October 29, 2011:
This is a super recipe containing three of my favourite ingredients, and they taste so good together!
Not being a "domestic goddess", I was glad it was quick and easy to prepare. I'll certainly be making this again!
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on September 09, 2011:
Thank you PiaC - I hope that you enjoy it :)
PiaC from Oakland, CA on September 09, 2011:
This looks very delicious. i'm always trying to eat more fish for health reasons, and I'll certainly make this one of my go-to recipes when I make salmon.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on April 05, 2011:
Thank you Tina - I was just talking to a friend today who says since she read the recipe here, she makes it a couple of times a week and, in fact, is making it this evening!
I bet it would have been wonderful with your fresh caught salmon & I hope you do give it a try - let me know what you think of it if you do :)
gr82bme from USA on April 05, 2011:
This quick and easy salmon recipe looks very easy to make.
I was up in Alaska for a while. There were no stores were we were we ate what we caught. I thought I had salmon every way there was. I also swore I would never eat another salmon. This looks good. I may have to give it a try
Tina
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on January 27, 2011:
Thank you ed77burns I hope you enjoy it :)
ed77burns on January 25, 2011:
I'm gonna try it on sunday.Looking Delicious.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on August 03, 2010:
Thanks KoffeeKlatch Gals - I hope you do, I'm sure that you'll enjoy it.
Misha - do you mean smoked salmon or do you really eat fresh salmon raw?
Yes, saddlerider1 - oily fish is especially good for us as it helps to protect the heart. Hope you enjoy it this way :)
saddlerider1 on August 03, 2010:
I love salmon grilled, baked or fried. This should be a tasty way to prepare it, I will give it a try. Fish is so good for us, we all need to eat more of it in our diets for sure. tks for the share.
Misha from DC Area on August 03, 2010:
For me the best salmon is raw salmon. And it does not get any easier than that, and any quicker :)
Susan Hazelton from Northern New York on July 30, 2010:
It sounds so delicious and easy. I'm going to have to try it. Thanks.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on July 03, 2010:
Thank you Lee - yes, anything that's quick, easy & tasty does it for me :)
Lee A Barton from remote on July 03, 2010:
Sounds like a great recipe, Suki! I think our philosophies (of cooking at least) are similar.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on June 29, 2010:
Thank you Andy - what I like is that you can have the ingredients in the freezer/store cupboard & have a great meal on the the table quickly with no - or little - effort :)
andygrant on June 28, 2010:
Wow Suki! That's really a great recipe. Sound delicious to me.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on June 23, 2010:
Wow - PaulaW so glad you actually made this & enjoyed it:)
PaulaW on June 23, 2010:
Thankyou so much Suki C for this delicous reciepe.
I actually made this nutrious meal tonight for the family.........They loved it, and I was happy as they had actually eaten something very nutrious and it was so easy to make too!! :-))
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on June 21, 2010:
Dim - yes, I always make garlic bread with it - watch out here for my crispy garlic bread recipe :)
Bella - yes, I think they will :)
Meg - it's a doddle to make & tastes so good :)
Meg on June 21, 2010:
This sounds delicious, I'm going to try it very soon!
arabella on June 21, 2010:
oh i'm definately going to make this! my kids will love it xxx
Dim Flaxenwick from Great Britain on June 21, 2010:
Sounds delicous. I think I'll try garlic bread with mine. Thanks for sharing.
Barbara C (author) from Andalucia, Spain on June 21, 2010:
thanks - hope you get a chance to try it :)
MMMoney from Where U Can Make More Money on June 21, 2010:
thanks for nice recipe
