Fresh, healthy, colourful and filling, the perfect salad is a complete nutritious meal in itself.

Recipes Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Blackened barramundi salad
serves 2

200g barramundi, skin off
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
sea salt & cracked black pepper
1 corn cob
1 bunch asparagus
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small mango
1 cup oak lettuce leaves
½ tsp ground coriander
200g mixed tinned beans
1⁄3 cup coriander leaves

buttermilk dressing
1⁄3 cup buttermilk
¼ avocado
1 tbsp pickled jalapeños
1 tbsp lime juice

Coat the barramundi with the spices in a small bowl. Place the dressing ingredients into a blender jug, process until smooth and season to taste with salt. Preheat a heavy-based frypan to med/high heat. Coat the corn and asparagus in 1 tbsp olive oil and cook in batches, ensuring the corn develops a nice char. Set aside. Coat the barramundi in the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook in the hot pan. Meanwhile, dice the mango flesh into 2cm cubes.

To serve, divide the oak lettuce leaves between two plates. Add the asparagus spears and mixed beans. Flake the fish and add to the plates. Slice the corn kernels from the cob and scatter over the salads with the mango pieces. Finally, garnish with the coriander leaves. Serve the buttermilk dressing on the side.

This recipe first appeared in the February 2022 issue of SALIFE magazine.