This salmon courgetti with lime and caper dressing recipe is a burst of summery freshness – zingy, piquant and delicious – it’s easy and quick to make, too.

Keep it simple and eat as a light, quick lunch or supper, or dress it up to become a show-stopping prepare-ahead platter for entertaining numbers.

Salmon courgetti with lime and caper dressing
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 medium courgettes, spiralized
A bunch of asparagus (10–12 spears)
100g (31⁄2 oz) samphire (optional)
olive oil
4–6 skinless salmon fillets, 110–140g (4–5oz) each
Sea salt
275g (10oz) fresh, cooked egg (or rice) noodles
Cress or micro leaves, to garnish (optional)

For the dressing
Zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 large lime
1tbsp white wine vinegar
2 heaped tbsp capers, drained
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 heaped tsp seedy mustard
5tbsp olive oil
1tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1tbsp freshly chopped tarragon (or dill or coriander)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Mix together all the dressing ingredients, except for the tarragon, and set aside.

2. Blanch the courgettes in boiling salted water for just 30 seconds – no longer! Drain, cool and leave rolled up in kitchen paper to dry thoroughly.

3. Snap off and discard the woody asparagus ends and cook in well-salted boiling water for a few minutes until just tender. Drain and cool under cold water. Cut the spears in half, or thirds if very long.

4. Cook the samphire, if using, in boiling unsalted water for 3 minutes, drain and cool under cold water. Roll up in kitchen paper with the asparagus to dry.

5. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil. Tuck the thin end of the salmon fillets underneath, so they are a more even thickness, and place onto the baking sheet.

6. Dribble a little olive oil and scatter some sea salt flakes over the fillets, and bake in the preheated oven for 5–6 minutes. The salmon should be opaque on the outside and still a little underdone in the middle.

7. Put the noodles into a large bowl and season. Add the courgettes, asparagus (reserving a few tips) and all but a handful of samphire, if using. Add the tarragon to the dressing and spoon 4 tablespoons into the noodles.

8. Incorporate everything very gently – hands are best! Pile onto a platter, break the salmon into chunky flakes and nestle it over the top. Decorate with the reserved asparagus and samphire, and spoon over the rest of the dressing. Scatter with cress or micro leaves, if using.

Get Ahead

Prepare steps 1 –5 up to 2 days ahead, and step 6, if serving the salmon cold. Either way, do not add the tarragon to the dressing until the last minute.

Hints & Tips

•Serve warm or at room temperature.
•Alternatively, scatter watercress over a platter, top with (warm or cold) halved baby new potatoes, then the vegetables. Arrange the salmon on top and spoon over some dressing. Or, serve the salmon fillets with new potatoes, green veg or salad and the dressing for an easy lunch or supper.
•You can use a 450g (1lb) piece of salmon fillet, cooked for 10 minutes wrapped in foil, then break into large flakes over the noodles.
•Add prawns or use instead of salmon. To butterfly raw, shelled prawns, halve the body lengthways, leaving 1cm (1⁄2in) of the tail end intact. Stir-fry in a little hot oil for 1–2 minutes.

The Get-Ahead Cook by Jane Lovett is published by Apicius Publishing (£20). Photography by Tony Briscoe.

For more great salmon recipes why not try: Roast salmon with pistachio dukkha or Salmon, preserved lemon and egg salad
And if you’re after some Healthy kitchen habits that make life easier – look no further!