Salmon is often seen as being a very expensive fish to buy. While it is certainly not the cheapest, the health benefits of eating salmon and the delicious flavours which can be had from it make it more than a worthwhile investment on occasion. Hopefully on this page I will go some way to convincing you - if you are not already - how tasty and healthy salmon can be.

This recipe may look complex but it is in fact extremely easy to prepare. It is also a delicious appetizer or starter, one designed perhaps to get your dinner party off to a great start.

Ingredients (Per Mousse)

1oz smoked salmon (roughly chopped)

2 medium eggs

6 basil leaves (finely chopped) plus more for garnishing

1/2 an avocado (thinly sliced)

1/2 a tomato (thinly sliced)

Pepper for seasoning

Butter for greasing

Method

Beat the eggs in a small bowl and add the pepper and chopped basil. Grease a small ramekin with the butter and add the smoked salmon pieces. Carefully pour in the egg mixture.

Pre-heat the oven to 150F and place the ramekin(s) on a bain-marie and in to the oven for half an hour. Check after this time that the egg mixture is fully set.

Gently run a knife round the edge of the ramekin to free the mousse and turn out on to a plate. Garnish with the avocado, tomato and remaining basil and serve.

This delicious recipe can be employed either for breakfast or for a light lunch. Smoked salmon and scrambled egg go extremely well together and the overall effect is fantastic.

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 slice of lightly buttered toast

2 large eggs

3 small slices of smoked salmon

Pinch of chopped fresh or dried dill leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Method

Beat the eggs well in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Melt a small knob of butter in a non-stick saucepan, add the egg mixture and turn the heat up to medium. Stir well until the eggs begin to scramble, then add the dill and pop the bread in the toaster. Continue to stir the eggs until just fully cooked.

Butter the toast and put it on a plate. Add the scrambled egg, then the smoked salmon carefully rolled and serve.

Frying pan recipes are not very often thought of as being healthy recipes but this pan fried salmon recipe is both tasty and healthy. The salmon is fried in a mixture of sunflower oil and just a little butter and only long enough to cook it most of the way through, leaving the centre moist, pink and nutritiously delicious.

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 salmon loin fillet (skin on)

6 small new potatoes

Handful of frozen peas

2 tbsp double or heavy cream

1 clove of garlic

2 small knobs of butter

Generous pinch of dried or fresh dill leaves (chopped if fresh)

Sunflower oil for frying

Plain, seasoned flour for dusting

Method

The first step is to wash the potatoes and put them in a large pan of boiling, salted water to simmer for half an hour.

Five minutes before the potatoes are ready, put some plain flour on a large plate and season it with salt and black pepper. Bring a little sunflower up to a medium heat in a non-stick frying pan and add a small knob of butter. When the butter has melted, dust the skin side only of the salmon in the seasoned flour, pat off any excess and place the fillet skin side down in the centre of the frying pan.

Watch the salmon and when it appears to be cooked almost half way through, put the peas on for the two or three minutes detailed on the pack. Drain the potatoes and add a knob of butter and the dill, swirling them around in the pot to ensure even coating.

When the salmon is cooked just over half way through, switch the heat off under the pan and turn the salmon over on to its exposed flesh side. The residual heat will complete the cooking process to perfection while the sauce is quickly prepared.

Add the cream to a small saucepan along with the crushed garlic clove. Gently heat until the cream begins to simmer, stirring frequently. This will only take about a minute.

Put the salmon on to a plate, skin side up. The skin should peel away very easily, perhaps with the assistance of a knife. Pour the sauce over the salmon fillet, add the potatoes and peas and serve your delicious, healthy, pan fried salmon meal.

I love salmon cooked in so many different ways that it is hard to pinpoint a favourite. This way is so simple - yet still delicious - however, that this definitely has to rate in my top three.

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 salmon fillet

1/2 head of broccoli (broken in to florets)

3 or 4 cobs of baby corn

Pinch of dried dill

Drizzle of vegetable oil

Method

Put the oven on to preheat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6. Spread a sheet of aluminium foil on a baking tray or sheet and drizzle a little vegetable (or sunflower) oil on it. Place the salmon fillet skin side down on to the foil and move it around to ensure the whole underside is lubricated and will not stick during cooking. Sprinkle the top of the salmon fillet with dried dill and wrap the foil in to a loose but airtight package. Place in to the heated oven for 15 minutes.

When the salmon has been on for about seven minutes, put the broccoli and corn in to a pan of boiling, lightly salted water. Simmer for eight minutes until the salmon is ready.

Drain the broccoli and corn, carefully unwrap the salmon to avoid escaping steam and plate up your delicious, simple meal.

Poaching salmon is a delicious and extremely healthy manner in which to cook it. The only drawback is the time which it takes to cook when poached in this fashion but if the time is made and taken, the result is more than worthwhile.

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 salmon loin fillet

5 or 6 small new potatoes

Handful of mangetout

Half pint of white wine

Half pint of water

1 shallot

1 stalk of celery

Pinch of dried dill

3 sprigs of fresh mint

Knob of butter

Method

Place the salmon fillet in a pot just big enough to hold it and add the chopped shallot and celery and the dried dill. Pour in the water and the white wine and ensure that the salmon fillet is covered. If not, add more liquid until it is completely submerged. Note that the very cheapest of white wine should be used when cooking and not a quality vintage.

Put the pot on to the heat and bring the liquid to the boil. Then simply turn off the heat, cover the pot and sit it aside to cool for a couple of hours, at which point the salmon will be cooked, cool and beautifully moist.

Boil the potatoes in salted water for thirty minutes. Drain and add the butter and chopped mint.

The mangetout should be boiled for five minutes only, timed to be ready at the same time as the potatoes.

Carefully remove the salmon from the poaching liquor with a spatula or slotted spoon and serve this truly delicious and healthy meal.