Barbecued Salmon with Fresh Herb Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is one of those sauces that sounds fancy and turns out to be a jug, a hand blender and about five minutes. The name is Italian for green sauce, and versions of it have been spooned over fish and meat around the Mediterranean for centuries. Every family has its own take. This one leans on parsley and basil, with capers for a salty snap and lemon to lift the whole thing. Blitzed until smooth, it has the loose, glossy texture of pouring cream, which means it sinks a little into the warm salmon rather than sitting on top like a garnish.

A quick word on the fish. Salmon is one of the richer everyday fish, and it's forgiving on a barbecue because the flesh is fatty enough to stay moist even when the grill runs hot. The thing to watch is thickness. Thin fillets cook through in four minutes a side, while a thick piece may need a little longer, so press gently with a fish slice and look for the flesh to turn opaque and flake easily at the thickest part. Pull it off the heat just before you think it's done. It keeps cooking on the plate.

For the beans, the trick is not to drown them. Steaming until just tender keeps their colour bright, and a quick turn in garlic-scented oil is enough to coat them. If you have a little time, cool any leftover beans fast, keep them in a covered container in the fridge and eat them cold the next day tossed with a spoonful of the salsa verde. The sauce itself keeps for a day or two covered in the fridge, though the herbs will darken slightly, so give it a stir and a squeeze of lemon before serving.

If you want something lighter alongside, a bowl of sliced tomatoes with flaky salt and a few torn basil leaves works well. For a fuller meal, a spoon of soft grains or a simple potato salad sits nicely beside the fish. You could also serve this with Crispy Sesame Salmon with Green Bean Salad on a second night if you want the green beans to play a supporting role again, or try Grilled Haddock with Herb Sauce and Bean Mash when you fancy a milder white fish with the same green sauce.

Leftover salmon is lovely flaked into a grain bowl or folded through a leafy salad the next morning. Keep it cold, use it within a day, and it will taste better than you'd expect for a second meal.