It is a wet day and a good excuse to go through a pile of recipes and ideas for recipes that are piling up on the floor of my office. The strange thing is that the most tempting recipes are often the simplest. I look forward to making a rhubarb cheese cake, an Ottolenghi dish with aubergines and yoghurt for group entertaining (alas only half of the recipe was in the pile) and Mark Hix’s onion and anchovy tarts. For today, this broccoli dish gives inspiration. Fusion food? Perhaps, but it tastes really great.

100g Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp harissa
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
30g finely grated root ginger
1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
400g tenderstem broccoli spears (or try with turnip tops), thicker stems halved
3 salad onions, white parts only, finely sliced at an angle
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

To make the dressing, in a bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the broccoli, sesame seeds and sliced onions with a few drops of water. Add the broccoli and move around gently to coat.

Set a griddle pan over a medium-high heat and griddle the broccoli in batches (or use a large frying pan or wok but this will not give as much flavour). Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently and sprinkling on water from time to time to steam the broccoli. Allow some of the broccoli to char. Arrange on a warm dish and scatter over the sesame seeds and spring onions before serving.

I served this dish with slightly smoked baked salmon but chicken pieces (sprinkled with paprika or Aleppo chillies) would be good too.