Bobby Flay's salmon with a tangy, sweet salad dressing

It seems that I haven't cooked or eaten for 5 months. What happened? Where did the seasons go? Looking back at these photos of brightly coloured food is quite depressing now as I sit listening to the rain and notice the skies start to darken at 3.31pm. My Summer was filled with relative visits and barbecues nearly every evening since our large gas grill was dragged from the roof top to the balcony. It was a whirlwind, 6 weeks of feeding parents with that excitement of having extra people to impress. Now it's just our little family of three again and more humble offerings.

This dish was exactly what you'd expect from a Summer dinner. Inspired by an unusual recipe from Bobby Flay it featured grilled, crisp salmon on a bed of leaves with a sauce more akin to a piquant classic French dressing. Some crispy capers added a little bitterness to offset the sweet, oily fish. It was a success and something that could be adapted again and again. Beef steak grilled and sliced with a red wine salad dressing for example? The possibilities are endless..

Recipe : Grilled salmon with a salad dressing sauce

Adapted from Slow cooked salmon with chickpeas and greens by Bobby Flay at Bon Appetit

2 6oz skinless salmon fillets

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey

salt and pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp capers

a large handful of mixed leaves such as spinach, kale, arugula, (rocket) etc.

Place the salmon onto a baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Grill, (broil) under high heat until cooked through. I like mine cooked throughout although the general consensus leans towards opaque and medium rare in the middle.

Combine the shallot, lemon juice, mustard and honey in a bowl and stir well. Gradually add the olive oil continuing to stir until you have a creamy consistency.

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over high heat and add the capers. Fry until they are crisp and slightly opened. Remove and drain on paper towels.

To serve: Divide the leaves between two plates, place a piece of salmon on top and drizzle over half of the dressing for each plate. Finish with a topping of capers.

This is a light Summer dish that was pared down from a more elaborate meal. To make mine more substantial I added a whole carrot, roasted and also drizzled with the dressing and a baked potato.

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