Preheat and Prepare: First, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or line it with baking parchment for easier cleanup.

Prep the Salmon: Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with a paper towel. This is an important step to ensure the sauce clings to the fish and the surface gets a nice finish. Season both sides of the fillets lightly with salt and pepper and arrange them in your prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between each one.

Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until it's fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove from the heat.

Combine the Sauce Ingredients: To the melted butter and garlic, stir in the fresh parsley, lemon juice, optional white wine, and optional honey. Stir everything together until well combined.

Assemble the Dish: Pour this beautiful garlic butter sauce evenly over the salmon fillets in the baking dish. What works best for me is using a spoon to ensure each fillet is generously coated. Arrange the thin lemon slices on top of or around the salmon fillets.

Bake the Salmon: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. The exact time will depend on the thickness of your fillets. The salmon is cooked when it's opaque and flakes easily when gently pressed with a fork.

Optional Grilling Step: For a slightly caramelised top, you can switch the oven to the grill setting for the final 1-2 minutes of cooking. Keep a very close eye on it to prevent it from burning.

Rest and Serve: Remove the salmon from the oven and let it rest in the dish for a few minutes. This allows the juices to settle. Garnish with a little more fresh parsley and serve immediately, spooning extra sauce from the pan over each serving.