Day Six: Food: Salmon remains ever so popular.

SALMON is one of the most versatile fish, and despite the scare of the early summer it remains incredibly popular in both our restaurant and deli.

Salmon is well suited to a range of cooking styles, and though usually associated with North European cookery, it works well with both Mediterranean and Asian flavours. Its sturdy composition lends itself to a range of cooking methods, especially steaming, making it a wise choice for the health conscious.

For us it is the unique taste and texture of salmon that makes it so endearing and which perhaps gives it such culinary longevity.

A current favourite in both our restaurant and deli are Salmon Teriyaki Skewers.

To serve four as a starter you will need 450g of salmon fillet, 1 tsp of caster sugar, 1tbsp of mirin or dry sherry, 2 tbsp of light soy sauce, 1tbsp sunflower oil, 1tsp of dijon mustard, a squeeze of lime juice, 2 tbsp of runny honey, warmed, and 8 bamboo skewers. Soak the skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them burning during cooking.

Cut the salmon stakes into long thin strips about 2. 5 wide and about 5 mm thick. Mix all the marinade ingredients together, except for the honey, and tossing in the salmon strips. Cover and leave for a couple of hours to marinade. Heat a griddle pan on a hot stove. Thread the salmon onto the skewers in a zigzag fashion, brush them with a little extra olive oil and fry on the griddle for 1 -- 2 minutes on each side.

When they're cooked, carefully lift them off the griddle onto a plate or metal tray, brushing them lightly with warm honey. Serve on a bed of wild rocket, drizzling a little of the marinade around the plate. If you'd prefer to serve the dish as a main course then leave the salmon fillets whole, and either steam or oven roast them. Make the marinade as usual but thicken it slightly by simmering gently for 5 minutes in a pan.

A second excellent recipe, ideal as both starter and light meal, is Seared Salmon on Oriental Salad with a Sweet Chilli Dressing.

For the salad (again to serve four) you will need 1 mango peeled, stoned and diced, 85g (3oz) of fresh bean sprouts, 1 carrot finely shredded into ribbons (use a potato peeler), 1 big juicy red chilli, finely shredded, 50g (2oz) of mizuna or watercress, 25g (1oz) of fresh coriander, 2 tbsp or roughly chopped cashew nuts, and 1 tbsp sesame seeds.

For the sweet chilli dressing you will need 4 tbsp of rice wine vinegar, 4 tbsp of light sesame oil and 4 tbsp of sweet chilli sauce. The dressing is easy to prepare and will keep well for up to a fortnight in the fridge maintaining its vibrant red colour well. It's ideal stored in a plastic squeezy bottle which makes it perfect for instant drizzlings.

The most challenging aspect of the recipe is the fine shredding of the carrot and chilli. However, use a little patience and the results will be pleasing, and sure to prompt comment if you're cooking for guests. The trick is to use a very sharp knife, enabling you to cut the vegetables finely and with the cleanest lines, really bringing out their vibrancy, and the variety of colour.

Once shredded simply mix with the other salad ingredients and set aside. Mix sweet chilli sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil together for the dressing and set aside.

Fry the salmon escallops over a searing heat for 1-2 minutes just on one side and turn out onto a plate -- cooked side up -- seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.