The dressing
This will make more than you need, which is why I recommend making it in a jam jar as you can then pop it in the fridge and use to tomorrow for a salad. With anything like this, add a little at a time, taste, and see if you want more. If you make this recipe and choose not to do the tomatoes, you might need a little more dressing, but that’s completely up to you.

or save yourself a step and dont make the dressing. Simply mix in the juicey tomatoes, and the herbs, season and taste. Maybe it needs a little squeeze of lemon to lift it maybe a splash of balsamic or maybe a little more olive oil.

Or use you own favourite dressing, I wont mind at all.

Herbs
I’ve used parsley and when I talk about parsely, I’m only EVER talking about flat leaf parsley. I don’t know why but I have a real aversion to the curly stuff. I'‘m sure it tastes the same and if you happen to like it, then I cant stop you but know that I’m hoping you’re eating the flat leaf. Lots of herbs would work here, basil, coriander, chives, spring onions, chopped spinach, a handful of rocket. So whatever you’ve got in your fridge, use it up! Fresh pesto would also be v good here.

Cooking Salmon
Now I know there are different schools of thought about this. My friend Esther cooks her salmon fillets for 20 minutes. To me there is nothing worse than overcooked salmon where it gets all dry. I like mine to be flaking when you push it with a knife and barely but ever so slightly still a little bit pink. It should fall apart into flakes when you poke it. I cook mine for 8 minutes give it a poke and see what it’s doing and then pop it back in for another 2 mins if it needs it. I dont use thermometers when I’m cooking at home - I just cook it for the length of time I think (or my recipe tells you) and then check it and see! Better to check early as obviously you cant uncook it if you overdo it.

Of course you don’t have to use salmon, panfried crispy skinned sea bream fillets would also be lovely. I always think sea bream is nicer than sea bass but that’s entirely up to you. Garlic butter prawns would also be great.

Tzatiki
This is optional I think. But it’s so incredibly good and easy I dont think you should skip it. Cooking is all about textures, and temperatures and there is something special about the combination of hot roasted salmon, with a dollop of something cool on the top. Creme fraiche or thick greek yoghurt seasoned with salt and pepper with a squeeze of lemon juice would also be great. In the restaurant I trained in, this combination loosened with a little boiling water was a go-to drizzle when we needed something to add a little something to a plate.

Grains
I already touched on this but a whole variety of grains would work with this method. Cous Cous, Bulgar wheat, puy lentils, rice, orzo… I always recommend if you can, cooking a recipe as it’s written the first time and then next time you can mix it up and use the technique to make it your own / use up what you have in the cupboard.