Salmon stars in colourful summer salad

In the most perfect of all worlds, things look as good as they taste. That’s true with this dish. Pink salmon, bright tomatoes (grab multicoloured ones if you can), flecks of purpley onion, pale chunks of toasty bread and a drizzle of bright green basil oil — a virtual rainbow.

Matching the array of colours is a variety of textures: soft and tender (salmon), juicy and firm (tomatoes), crispy-chewy (chunks of toasted bread).

There is nothing ho-hum about this salad.

While we’re talking about the most perfect of worlds, if you can serve this dish slightly warm, with the salmon recently emerged from the oven, you will be in for another level of sensory happiness.

This is the kind of one-bowl lunch or dinner that is pure summertime happiness. If you can figure out a way to enjoy it outside, all the better.

Make the basil oil up to a couple of days ahead and store it in a container in the fridge. You’ll have some extra from this recipe: Drizzle it over sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella later in the week.

If the basil oil is one step too many, skip it — add an extra drizzle of plain olive oil at the end and some slivered fresh basil leaves. It is still beautiful, still delicious.

Salmon Panzanella Makes: Four servings Start to finish: 40 minutes

8 oz ciabatta bread 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

• kosher salt to taste 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 lb skinless salmon fillets (any number of pieces to equal 1 lb) 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (mixed colours look especially pretty) 1/4 cup minced red onion 2 Tbsp basil oil (see Note)

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Tear the ciabatta into large chunks, about 1 1/2-inches big. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 Tbsp of the olive oil. Toss them to combine, then spread them out on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for five to seven minutes, until the bread starts to brown at the edges. Remove the bread from the oven, transfer to a large bowl, and keep the oven on.

Combine the remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil, the vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir to blend well. Spray the same rimmed baking sheet you used to toast the bread with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper. Place the salmon filets on the baking sheet and drizzle about half of the oil mixture over them, using a brush to distribute it evenly. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly.

Use your fingers or a fork to pull the salmon apart into large chunks. Add the halved tomatoes, onions and the warm salmon chunks to the toasted bread in the bowl, drizzle the rest of the dressing over them, and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle the basil oil over the salad and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Note: To make basil oil, place 1/2 cup fresh basil, 2 Tbsp flatleaf parsley leaves, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor, and pulse several times to roughly chop.

With the motor running, add 1/4 cup olive oil through the top of the processor. When the oil is added, scrape down the sides of the food processor and process again. Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.