THIS week’s recipe is for a very fresh dish that’s much easier than it looks. However, you have to think a little ahead to marinate the salmon and while an hour or two is good, a whole day is better. It’s a reasonably sized starter and could easily be served as a light supper.

INGREDIENTS
To serve two – perhaps served with a rocket salad

Two fillets of salmon – skin removed if wished
One inch of fresh ginger – peeled and grated
One red chilli – chopped (deseeded if you don’t like a little heat)
One handful of coriander - chopped
One tablespoon of honey
One tablespoon of olive oil
Half a cucumber
Two tablespoons of crème fraîche
Juice of half a lemon
Half a dozen spring onions
Four tomatoes on the vine – coated in a little olive oil
Seasoning
Basil oil for finishing or a little pesto thinned with olive oil

METHOD

Mix together the honey, olive oil, ginger, chilli and coriander. Pour this marinade over the fish, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or preferably 24 hours.

Half lengthways and deseed the cucumber then cut into very thin shreds – a little like spaghetti. Place on a plate and sprinkle with salt and leave for an hour. This will remove the moisture from it. Place in a sieve or colander, wash the salt off and dry. Season with lemon juice.

Pre-heat the oven to 200° C (gas mark 6). Lift the salmon from the marinade but leave any bits sticking to it. Heat an oven-proof frying pan, add a little oil and sear the salmon both sides then finish off in the oven for around ten minutes or until cooked. At the same time, roast the tomatoes on the vine for about five minutes. Remove and keep warm until the salmon’s ready.

Finely chop the spring onions and mix with the crème fraîche. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, place the salmon on the cucumber spaghetti and spoon the crème fraîche on top. Place the tomatoes (still on their vine) alongside and drizzle the plate with a little basil oil if wished.