Salmon Fillet wrapped in Prosciutto with Herby Lentils

It was a cold, miserable day yesterday and I was glad when I was finally in for the afternoon.   All sport had been cancelled!!  Hooray!! I now had more time to make a beautiful dinner, rather than whip something onto the table when we arrived home at 7:30.

I have been hankering for a piece of salmon for ages - so tonight was the night!!  Unfortunately the price of salmon seems to be rising higher and higher these days - which means that it makes quite an expensive dinner for us all.  "The Darlings" just love their salmon - and before I had even sat at the table they had "vacuumed" it from their plates and were giving me that "Oliver Twist" look.  If they thought I was parting with mine they had another think coming!!

This is a lovely, fresh healthy meal.  To accompany the salmon and lentils I served my usual standby - "smashed potatoes".  If you are serving the potatoes with your dish you will need to get them in the oven a good 20-25 minutes before the salmon.

Salmon Fillet wrapped in Prosciutto with Herby Lentils


Serves 4


300g lentils (I used Brown lentils)
4 x salmon fillets (use the tail - no bones!!)
8 sliced of prosciutto
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 good handfuls of mixed herbs (I used flat leaf parsley, mint and basil)
150g baby spinach
200ml natural yoghurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.


Rinse the lentils under running water, then place in a medium sized saucepan, and cover with water.  Bring to the boil, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.


Season the salmon fillets with a little freshly ground black pepper, then wrap with the prosciutto (or if you have large pieces of salmon - just lay the prosciutto on top of the flesh).  Lay the fillets on a baking tray that has been lined with foil.  Spray with a little garlic olive oil spray.  Roast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like your salmon.  If you like it a little pink in the middle only cook it for around 5 minutes.


Season the yoghurt with a little lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper.


Drain the water from the lentils, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add the lemon juice and approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil (to taste - I don't like to much!).  Just before serving, over a high heat, stir in the herbs and spinach, until wilted.


Smashed Potatoes


New potatoes (with skin on) 2-3 per person
Garlic olive oil spray
Parmesan cheese


Boil the potatoes, until tender.  Drain.


Line a baking tray with baking paper - lightly spray with the garlic olive oil spray.  Smash the potatoes roughly on the tray.  Spray with the garlic spray - bake for 20-25 minutes or until they start to turn golden.  Top with a small amount of parmesan cheese and bake for a further 5 - 10 minutes.

So after all that, does anyone have room for dessert - I know "The Darlings" do!!
As I had some Buttermilk left from the chicken earlier in the week I trawled the internet looking for a recipe that would use up both my bananas (that were starting to head past their use by date) and the leftover Buttermilk.

Here is what I came up with.


Banana and Buttermilk Cake


100g butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
2-3 bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg


Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.


Grease and flour a 19cm square cake tin.


In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar.  Beat in the egg, vanilla and mashed banana.  Sift remaining dry ingredients together, and add to the banana mixture, mix until just combined.


Spread into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.


Dust with icing sugar, serve with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

By now, who cares about the weather outside - we are warm and our bellies are full!