Whole poached salmon with potatoes

Method

1. Put the salmon in either a fish kettle or a large roasting tin.

2. Pour in enough cold water to cover the fish. Add the onion, bay leaves, vinegar, lemon, a good pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper.

3. Cover with a lid or tin foil and bring to the boil on the stove. As soon as it boils, turn off the heat and leave the fish to stand in the water until it has cooled to room temperature. By this stage, the skin should peel away easily the flesh will be flaky.

4. Carefully remove the salmon from its cooking juices and transfer to a chopping board. Scrape off the skin and discard. Put the salmon on a large flat serving dish.

5. To serve, lever off big chunks of fish and serve at room temperature, accompanied with lemon wedges, mayonnaise, steamed English asparagus and Jersey Royal potatoes.