Salmon and Gnocchi Bake

Serves 6
Ingredients

• 1 lemon, scrubbed
• 4 salmon fillets
• 2 bay leaves
• a few black peppercorns
• 200g pack Tenderstem broccoli, chopped into thirds
• 150g leaf spinach
• 600g gnocchi
• 75g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• 250ml prosecco or cava
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 200ml whipping cream
• 100g smoked salmon, cut into ribbons
• 50g panko breadcrumbs
• 15g Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tbsp snipped chives

1. 
   
2. Pare off a strip of lemon zest using a peeler, then finely grate the rest of the zest. Juice the lemon and set the juice and zest aside. 
3. Skin the salmon fillets and cut into roughly 1.5cm cubes. Put in a pan with the piece of pared zest, the bay leaves, peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Cover with cold water and a lid, and bring to a simmer. When the salmon is opaque, lift out onto a plate to cool, discarding the flavourings.
4. Butter a large baking dish, about 23 x 30cm.
5. Bring 2 pans of salted water to the boil; 1 medium, 1 large. 
6. Add the broccoli to the medium pan and once it has come back to the boil, cook for just 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach then immediately tip the contents of the pan into a colander. Drain and refresh with cold water.
7. Tip the gnocchi into the large pan then, as they start to rise to the surface, scoop them out with a draining spoon and transfer to the dish.
8. Melt the butter in the medium pan then measure out 1 tablespoon into a bowl, ready for the topping. Mix the flour into the remaining melted butter in the pan, to make a smooth paste, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
9. Remove from the heat and gradually mix in the prosecco, a little at a time, until you have a smooth sauce, followed by the stock. Return to the hob, add the cream and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook gently for 2 minutes then check the seasoning, adding half the grated lemon zest plus lemon juice to taste.
10. Add the spinach, broccoli, cooked and smoked salmon to the gnocchi in the dish and mix together gently. Pour the sauce over everything.
11. Tear the ciabatta into small chunks (or blitz it to coarse crumbs if you like). Add the reserved melted butter with the rest of the lemon zest, the Parmesan, chives and plenty of black pepper. Mix well.
12. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Scatter the bread topping over the gnocchi bake then put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling, golden and crisp.