Scotland has long been famous for her splendid salmon fishing rivers such as the Dee, Spey and Tweed. In fact, in 1924, even a river classed as 'a first-class, second-class salmon river' The Deveron, which runs for 82 miles through Aberdeenshire and Banffshire, can claim one of the largest salmon landed in Scotland. The successful angler on that occasion, a Mrs Morrison, pulled out a massive 61 lb fish. She would have regarded The Deveron as 'a first-class' salmon river!

 

Since the 1970s salmon farming in Scotland has expanded so much that the 'King of Fish' is no longer a luxury and is available all-year round for consumption at home and abroad. Last week saw a brohaha in the Scottish media when a study published in the USA journal 'Science' suggested that farmed Scottish salmon is so full of pollutants that it should only be eaten sparingly. The UK Food Standards Agency and other food experts, including leading American food expert Professor Charles Santerre, Purdue University in Indiana, disagreed with the conclusions drawn in the study and Scottish shoppers seem to agree with Professor Santerre that Scottish farmed salmon is safe as supermarkets said that sales had been unaffected by the report.

 

The advice of the late Dr Robert D McIntyre on the subject of food scares would seem appropriate - "Enjoy all food in moderation and you'll have nothing to worry about." So whether your taste runs to wild or farmed salmon, we have no hesitation in having a salmon recipe for this week. Courtesy of Scottish food doyen Elizabeth Craig we can all enjoy her recipe for Baked Salmon Steaks, which first appeared in her excellent 'The Scottish Cookery Book' in 1956.

 

Baked Salmon Steaks

 

Ingredients : 2 thick salmon steaks; 2 oz butter; 1 tablespoon minced parsley; salt and pepper to taste; 3/4 pint tomato sauce

 

Wipe the steaks with a damp cloth. Grease a baking tin, large enough to take the steaks side by side, with a little of the butter. Lay steaks in tin. Dab with the remainder of the butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cover with greased paper. Bake in a moderate oven, 350 deg F, for about 25 minutes. Dish up. Pour the tomato sauce round. Serves 4.