Cook the baby potatoes
Boil the baby potatoes with their skins on until tender.
Prepare the baking dish
Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Grease the bottom of a large oven dish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Check the salmon fillet for bones, then place it in the dish. Brush the salmon with a little olive oil.
Prepare the asparagus
Snap or trim the tough ends of the asparagus. Brush them all over with 1 tbsp olive oil.
Assemble the dish
Lightly crush the cooked baby potatoes with a large knife. Cut the lemon into 8 wedges. Mix the potatoes with the lemon wedges, Kalamata olives, capers, 2 tbsp olive oil, and some pepper. Arrange this mixture around the salmon in the dish. Place the asparagus on top of the potatoes and sprinkle with 4 sprigs of thyme.
Bake in the oven
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 230 °C until the salmon is cooked and the potatoes are lightly browned.
Make the sauce
Mix the honey and mustard in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil (like making mayonnaise) until you have a smooth, emulsified sauce. Add the orange zest and juice.
Finishing and serving
Sprinkle the remaining thyme sprigs over the salmon. Serve the salmon with the potatoes and asparagus, offering the sauce separately so everyone can add as much as they like.
Tips
- Break the asparagus instead of cutting them: they will naturally snap at the right point. Lightly crush the baby potatoes for extra flavor and texture — they absorb the oil and flavors well.
- Whisk the sauce slowly to achieve a smooth, creamy emulsion without splitting.
- Adjust the amount of honey in the sauce to your taste: more for sweetness, less for a fresher tang.
- Let the dish rest a few minutes after baking so the flavors meld and the salmon firms up slightly.