PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES (PLUS 3 HOURS MARINATING TIME)

SERVES: 4

GLAZED SALMON AND SALAD

This is a really healthy summer salad. I know you would just love to be sitting down with this one on a sunny day, wind in your hair, faint sounds of birds and the ocean in the background, no kids, just sharing time with the special person in your life.

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) honey

2 tablespoons white miso paste

1 tablespoon mirin (rice wine)

1 tablespoon sake

½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice

4 x 220 g (7¾ oz) salmon pieces, pin-boned, skin on

1 x 270 g (9½ oz) packet soba noodles

¼ cup coriander (cilantro), leaves only

¼ cup mint, leaves only

¼ cup Thai basil, leaves only

2 small telegraph cucumber, seeded, julienned

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced on the diagonal

lime wedges, to serve.

PONZU

MAKES 125 ML (4 FL OZ/½ CUP)

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) light soy sauce

2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

1 tablespoon mirin (rice wine)

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons bonito flakes (see note)

To make the marinade, place the honey, miso, mirin, sake and five-spice with 2 tablespoons of water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir for 3 minutes or until warm and combined. Cool.

Place the salmon in a large bowl with the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, to make the ponzu, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate until needed.

Cook the soba noodles in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain and refresh in iced water. Place the noodles in a large bowl with the herbs, cucumber, chilli and ponzu. Season with the sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to combine.

Preheat a barbecue flat-plate or heavy-based frying pan to medium–high and lightly oil. Remove the salmon from the marinade and drain off any excess. Cook the salmon skin side up for 2 minutes or until deep golden, turn, then cook for a further 3 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the salmon is medium. Remove the salmon from the flat-plate and allow to stand for 3 minutes before serving.

Once the salmon has cooled, flake with a fork and gently combine with the noodles, divide among four plates and serve with the lime wedges.

NOTES

∎   Bonito flakes are available from Asian grocers.

∎   To add extra dimension of flavour and depth to your ponzu, add a sheet of dried seaweed (kombu).