INGREDIENTS

1. For mustard-herb butter
   • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
   • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
   • 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
   • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
   • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2. For lentils
   • 1 cup French green lentils
   • 4 cups water
   • 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
   • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
   • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3. For salmon
   • 4 (6-ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet
   • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

PREPARATION

1. Make mustard-herb butter:
   1. Stir together all ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
2. Cook lentils:
   1. Bring lentils, water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain lentils.
   2. While lentils cook, chop leeks, then wash . Cook leeks in butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
   3. Add lentils with reserved cooking liquid to leeks along with 3 tablespoons mustard-herb butter and cook, stirring, until lentils are heated through and butter is melted. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
3. Sauté salmon while leeks cook:
   1. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).
   2. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
   3. Serve salmon, topped with remaining mustard-herb butter, over lentils.

Cooks' notes:

·Mustard-herb butter can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Soften at room temperature before using (1 hour).
·Lentils can be cooked (but not drained) 1 day ahead and chilled in cooking liquid, covered (once cool).

Madeleine Shaw’s Mini fish cakes with avocado mousse

Makes: 12

Ingredients

280g pack Waitrose 2 boneless Scottish salmon fillets (cut into chunks)
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 salad onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp drained capers
1 small package of guacamole - prepared - spicy optional
1 small pomegranate - de-seeded


The recipe bellow is if you want to make fresh avocado mousse.
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 large avocado
Juice of half a lime
½ tsp chilli flakes

Method

1. Place the salmon chunks, mustard, chives, salad onion, lime juice and capers into a food processor and blitz for 20 seconds until the salmon becomes slightly minced and all the ingredients stick together.

2. Prepare cookie sheets.  Butter each cookie sheet,  Roll mixture into  miniature patties and place them on the cookie sheets.  Bake at 450 degrees.  Turn the small patties after 2 minutes of cooking. must be gold brown on each side.  Then remove the patties and place them on a papers towel to absorb any remaining oils.

3. Place small cakes on a serving platter and top each with guacamole and a pomegranate see.  Serve immediately.

4.  The fish cakes can be prepared ahead of time.  The night before and have the ready to go in the oven.  

5. Top the fish cakes with a teaspoon of avocado mousse and a pomegranate seed and you’re ready to serve!