This is the most delicious salad dressing ever – it might even convert confirmed salad dodgers. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days. Dried black limes are getting easier to get hold of either in Middle Eastern food shops or at Waitrose. I blitz them a couple at a time and store in an airtight jar. If you can’t get hold of black limes, use the finely grated zest from the lemon. I’ve listed butterhead lettuce as the main salad choice, but iceberg, cos or other sweet tasting lettuces would work well. The rocket gives it a peppery lift, but again could be replaced with what is to hand/in season.

For the salad:

1 head butterhead lettuce, torn into pieces

A handful of rocket leaves

35g breakfast radishes, trimmed and cut into ¼ cm slices

For the dressing:

50ml light olive oil + 1 tbsp for frying

1 banana shallot, peeled and very finely chopped

2 sprigs lemon thyme

Flaked sea salt

125ml cloudy apple juice – not from concentrate

2-3 teasp lemon juice (or yuzu)

Scant teasp dijon mustard

For the breadcrumbs:

1 tbsp light olive oil

25g sourdough breadcrumbs

1 teasp black lime powder

Salt and pepper

To serve if a main meal:

A handful of toasted pine nuts

• To make the dressing, put a tablespoon of oil into a small sauce over a medium heat, add the shallots, 2 large pinches of sea salt and the thyme sprigs and gently fry for around 5 minutes until just beginning to colour. Pour in the apple juice, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to medium and allow to bubble away until reduced by three quarters and the mixture has turned syrupy. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

• Once cooled, pour into a blender and add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, a couple more pinches of salt and most of the mustard. Blitz together, then slowly add the olive oil until you have a smooth quite thick dressing. Check for flavour and more lemon juice and/or mustard as desired. Set aside

• Meanwhile, to make the breadcrumbs, heat the oil in a medium frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs and fry, stirring, until nicely toasted – about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the lime powder and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

• When ready to eat, either arrange the leaves on a large serving plate or individual ones (if a main meal). Scatter over the radishes. Spoon over the dressing and top with the breadcrumbs and pine nuts (if using). Serve immediately.