Salmon in a light, fragrant broth

Description

You don't need a heavy main course to weigh you down, but you do want something special like fresh salmon bathed in a fragrant, lime-scented broth with a little kick of lime juice. Serve with rice or noodles if you like.

Ingredients

300ml/10½fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, peeled, white part finely sliced
2 shallots, peeled, finely sliced
1 mild fresh red chilli, finely sliced
100g/3½oz mushrooms (oyster or fresh shiitake), finely sliced
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 x 150g/4¼oz fresh salmon fillets, pin-bones removed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3½oz baby spinach leaves
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Method

1. Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the lemongrass, shallots, chilli, mushrooms and sugar and reduce the heat; simmer for ten minutes.
2. In the meantime, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Sear the salmon fillets, skin-side down, until the skin is crisp, then turn once and cook briefly on the other side, leaving the inside slightly pink. Remove from the heat and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Wilt the spinach in the hot broth for five seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and arrange in two warmed shallow soup bowls. Place the salmon on top.
4. Add the fish sauce and lime juice to the broth, and spoon it around the salmon. Serve.