Baked carp with root vegetables and almond potatoes

Preheat the oven to 190 °C conventional. Peel and wash carrots, parsnips and parsley roots and dice to 1 cm. Peel and quarter the garlic. Wash the lemons. Slice 1 lemon and cut 1 lemon into serving wedges. Wash, dry and chop the parsley.

Check that the fishmonger has scaled and gutted the carp, then pat it dry. Rub inside and out with the pepper and some of 1 pinch salt, using the remainder of that same amount on the roots. Put 35 g butter in the roasting dish, then add carp, garlic and roots. Put the lemon slices in the cavity, scatter 35 g butter over the top and pour over all the wine and oil.

Roast for about 60 minutes, basting regularly with the pan juices. The roots must be tender and the fish opaque and easy to lift from its bones. Extend cooking if needed, protecting the top with baking paper if it browns too much.

While the fish cooks, peel the potatoes and cut into even pieces. Simmer in a pan of unsalted water for about 25 minutes until tender, then drain. Melt 30 g butter in a frying pan and lightly toast the almonds. Add potatoes and 1 pinch salt and turn gently for 4 minutes.

Carefully lift the carp flesh from the skeleton and remove the bones thoroughly. Serve with roots, potatoes, pan juices, parsley and lemon wedges. Check the portions again for fine bones.