One-tray wonders: salmon, chicken and fennel tray bakes

The vegetables and chicken or fish are all cooked on the one tray in these colourful dishes.

Chicken & fennel tray bake. Picture: Guy Bailey.

The vegetables and chicken or fish are all cooked on the one tray in these colourful dishes. Chicken Marylands are ideal for the chicken bake as the potatoes and fennel soak up all their flavoursome juices.

Chicken & fennel tray bake

3 fennel bulbs

600g chat potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm slices

1 head of garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

500g cherry tomatoes on the vine

2 tablespoons thyme leaves

4 large chicken Marylands

Preheat oven to 190C (fan). Trim fennel bulbs, reserving fronds to garnish. Cut each bulb into 4 wedges. Cook in boiling, salted water for about 5 minutes until just tender; keep the water on the heat as you remove fennel with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add sliced potatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves to boiling water and cook for about 6-8 minutes until tender. Drain and add to fennel. Toss gently with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Season and spread in a large, shallow roasting tin. Add tomatoes and thyme, and place chicken Marylands on top. Season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast for about 35-40 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to stop vegetables from sticking, until golden and cooked through. Serve scattered with fennel fronds. Squeeze the soft garlic from the skins as you eat. Serves 4

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Salmon bake. Picture: Guy Bailey.

Salmon tray bake

12 stems broccolini

1 small cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 8 wedges

2 red onions, cut into wedges

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 salmon fillets

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

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For the dressing

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

3cm piece fresh ginger, grated

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced (reserve some to garnish)

Heat oven to 200C (fan). Put broccolini stems, cauliflower wedges and onions on a large roasting tray, drizzle over a little olive oil and season with black pepper, then roast for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients in a bowl. After 25 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and toss the vegetables lightly. Make four spaces in the vegetables for the fish, then add the salmon. Sprinkle over the dressing and the sesame seeds (mainly over the fish fillets), then return to the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the fish is cooked through – it will flake easily with a fork – and the vegetables are cooked. Sprinkle with sliced spring onions and the reserved chilli. Serves 4

To see more recipes by David Herbert, go to theaustralian.com. au/herbert-recipes [e-mail]