Spinach and Hot Smoked Salmon Roulade

Roulade: Preheat oven to 200ºC. Grease and line a 29 x 26cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Wilt the spinach in a pan in just the water clinging to its leaves, squeeze dry and chop. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and cook over a gentle heat, stirring all the time, until the mixture thickens and the flour has cooked out. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Stir in the egg yolks and spinach and season well. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the spinach mixture using a large metal spoon. Pour into the prepared tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cover with a tea towel.

Aioli: Blend the garlic with the salt and egg yolks in a food processor. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil drop by drop to start, then in a thin stream as the sauce thickens. Add the lemon juice, season and blend again to incorporate. The aioli should be very thick.

Filling: Remove the skin and bones from the salmon and mix with the aioli and chives.

Assembly: When the roulade is cold, remove the tea towel, and replace with a sheet of baking paper. Flip over onto the bench – the roulade will now be lying on the new sheet of paper. Remove the tin and the lining paper. Spread the salmon mix over the roulade and roll up using the paper underneath to guide.

Transfer the roulade to a platter, slice and serve with the watercress leaves, tossed with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serves 6-8

N.B. Any remaining aioli can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 2-3 days