About the Recipe
Turnip is such an underrated vegetable - prepared correctly it becomes a sweet, nutty and nutricious treat. Combining it in a rich gratin with salmon makes for a warming dish of soul food that's great all year round.
Ingredients
3 - 4 florets of broccoli
350g / 12oz turnip
5 baby tomatoes
2 salmon fillets
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
for the white sauce;
50g / 1.8oz salted butter
50g / 1.8oz plain flour
600ml / 20 fl oz milk
1 tsp mustard powder or mustard
1/2 - 1 tsp salt (adjust to your taste
black pepper
50g / 2 oz cheddar cheese
an ovenproof dish
Preparation
cut the florets of broccoli in half or, if they are large, cut into bite sized pieces
remove the stem of the turnip, peel and cut into quarters, then slice into bite sized pieces
place the turnip in a saucepan and cover with cold water. bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. drain and set aside
meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half
now, move onto the salmon. sprinkle some salt & pepper over the fillets. heat 1/2 tsp of the vegetable oil in a frying pan andadd the salmon fillets. fry for about 3 minutes with the lid on over a medium-high heat. turn the fillets and fry for about 2-3 minutes with a lid on over a medium heat
when the salmon is done, remove the fillets to a plate or chopping board. remove the skin and cut the fillets into chunks
next, place the turnip pieces into a medium gratin dish. add the salmon chunks, broccoli & baby tomatoes and set aside
now you need to make your white sauce. start by melting the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. gradually stir the plain flour into the melted butter until you get a doughy paste. next, add the milk very gradually to the paste. keep stirring to incorporate the milk and paste without any lumps forming. take your time adding the milk and keep stirring. (I usually start with a spoon and then use a whisk as the mix becomes more creamy.)
when you have finished adding all the milk, add the mustard, and season with salt and pepper. check the flavour and season more if you prefer a saltier taste.
set your oven to 220 C / 430 F
pour the white sauce into the gratin dish gently, covering all the contents. grate the cheese over the sauce
bake in the oven at 220 C / 430 F for 18 - 20 minutes - your dish will be ready when the cheese topping is nicely browned