Red pepper and basil salmon en croute

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 8 and heat a baking sheet until very hot.

2. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and place cut side down, on to a baking sheet. Cook for about 30 minutes until charred and soft.

3. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover tightly with cling film and leave until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin from the peppers and cut the flesh into thick strips.

4. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface until large enough to wrap the salmon.

5. Place 1 fillet of salmon onto the centre of the pastry, leaving about a 3cm border. Season with salt and pepper and arrange the peppers and basil on top. Season the second side of salmon and place on top.

6. With a sharp knife, make straight horizontal slits about 2.5 cm wide in the pastry either side of the salmon, cutting from the salmon outwards to the edge of the pastry. Lift the cut strips of pastry across the fish to make a plait.

7. Brush with beaten egg and transfer carefully to the hot baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown; rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

8. To make the sauce, simply heat the cream, add the lemon juice and pesto and season with salt and pepper.

9. Just before serving, add the basil. Serve the salmon hot, in slices with the creamy pesto sauce.