A seriously light and fresh supper. This is a perfect example of using simple good-quality ingredients and letting them do all the work.

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 10–12 basil leaves
  • 4 x 175 g salmon fillets, skin on
  • 20 g chopped walnuts
  • 300 g ripe tomatoes (heritage or different colours are great here)
  • halved or cut into wedges
  • 1 fennel bulb, finely shaved
  • Core ingredients
  • 30 g butter, softened
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tsp cider or white wine vinegar
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Mash the butter in a small bowl. Finely chop half the basil leaves and mix them into the butter with plenty of seasoning.
  2.  Heat a little drizzle of oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side down, and fry for 5–6 minutes until golden and crisp. Turn over and cook for just a minute or 2 more, then add the basil butter and let it melt and foam around the salmon; spoon it over the top of the fillets. Add the walnuts and cook for a further minute or so.
  3. Meanwhile, mix the tomatoes and fennel in a large bowl with the garlic, vinegar and remaining basil leaves. Season well and add a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil.
  4. Serve the buttery salmon with the salad.