Salad with Salmon: Keeping it simply elegant

Cold weather ignites a yearning for rich stews, ladles of creamy soups, and the scent of roasting meat.  But, what if you want to lighten up?

One of my favorites is fresh, pan sautéed salmon filets over a mixed green salad.  See, when I say ‘lightly,’ I don’t mean oat husks with a squeeze of lemon, washed down with low fat goat’s milk.

Food should be a pleasure, and what the hell, if you give up wine, what’s there left to live for?  Ok, there’s those other things, women and song.  Also freshly baked bread and a study French cheese works in there somewhere.  See how you force me to lose my way and turn digression into a sad state of befuddlement?

Let’s get back to a salad that’s much more than mundane bits of lettuce slathered in Green-Godlessness or Raunchy Ranch.   I’m here to shower your cooking with a bit of simple, yet sophisticated style; create a joie de vie and arm you with enough creative spirit to entertain the love of your life, or even your spouse.

For the Salmon:

Salmon, a pat of butter, a tablespoon of olive oil.  Don’t like salmon or fish?  Substitute any seafood that suits you: shrimp, squid, lobster, or even mussels and clams.

For the Salad:

Iceburg or other lettuce, cut or torn into bits

Fresh spinach

Tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped

Capers, as desired (and I desire a couple of heaping Tablespoons)

Salad dressing ingredients

For the Salad Dressing: (Make a lot and use it as your go-to salad dressing!)

1 portion olive oil

1 portion seasoned rice vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Heaping tablespoon of your favorite herb (I used Herbs de Provence, but dried coriander and others also work well)

To Drizzle Over the Salmon:  Balsamic Glaze (You’ll want to make more than you need and keep it in a jar in the frig!)

2 Parts balsamic vinegar

½ Part brown sugar (or to taste)

Ok, let’s start this simple dish that will get you five star reviews!

Make the Salad Dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a glass jar and shaking vigorously.  I add the salt and pepper to the dressing because it un-complicates things when serving my guests.  The dressing can be made days or weeks in advance.  No need to keep it in the frig unless you want to.

Make the Balsamic Glaze:  Put both ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves.  Taste and add more sugar if you like.  Continue to cook until the mixture is reduced enough to easily coat the back of a spoon.

Make the Salad by tossing all ingredients in a large bowl.

Make the Salmon:  Heat a frying pan on medium heat, add butter and oil and allow them to sizzle.   For an extra touch, use a small sprig or two of rosemary and add it to the pan. Drop in the salmon, skin side down.  People often overcook fish.  Don’t do it!  Makes the salmon dry, with much less flavor.  When you see the sides of the salmon begin to lose their pink color, put the salmon on one edge and then the other. Cook each edge until just barely brown.  Now flip the salmon over, with skin side up and cook for no longer than 2 minutes, or less, depending on how thin the salmon is. Wipe the rosemary over the salmon and spoon the butter/oil mix over the fish before serving.

Testing the Salmon:  After cooking, the salmon should still be a little ‘spongy’ when you press down very lightly with your tongs or spatula.

Ok, you’ve done all the work.  Drizzle some dressing over the salad, toss again, lay the cooked salmon on top and drizzle a little bit of balsamic glaze over the fish.  Voila!

Oh, wait a sec….pour the wine!

Let me prep you for some common questions from your guests.

Guest 1:  This is a wonderful salad!  Which dressing did you use?

You:  Just something I whipped up.

Guest 1:  Oh, my god, you’re such a good cook!

Guest 2:  This salmon is fabulous!  I hate overcooked fish and this is perfect!

You:  Thanks.  I owe it all to the course I took at the Cordon Bleu in Paris

Guest 2:  You speak French?

You:  Mais, oui mon cher.

Guest 3:  Where did you get this heavenly sauce that’s on the fish?

You:  I just played a bit in the kitchen and came up with it.

Guests 1,2,3:  You made this?

You: (blushing appropriately) Well, you know…it’s just a little something.

Your spouse:  Everybody like the wine?  I picked it out myself!

Please Be Lentil

I’m a warm weather guy.  Always have been and now that spring's here, I’m all about backyard picnics with friends, for some sitting, sipping, chatting.  Those are the good parts, but we all know preparation for entertaining guests can be a wild beast if you let it.

Here’s a recipe for keeping things simple, so you can help yourself to a cool one, relax, and still impress your guests.

Number one:  Do it yourself bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches.  That’s the basics.  Want to fancy it up?  Try some different breads and spice up the mayo with a couple of dollops of pesto.  Put it out and let them busy themselves making a sandwich exactly as they like it.  Add a plate of spiced olives to the picnic table.

Number two:  For something different, whip together a very easy lentil salad. Make it ahead and serve it at room temp.

Lentil Salad

2 Cups (1 pound or 500 g) of green-gray lentils.

1 Carrot, peeled and chopped

1 Medium onion, diced

11 Tablespoons of olive oil

6 Tablespoons of vinegars (I used a mix of pomegranate and seasoned rice vinegars)

2 Heaping Tablespoons of Dijon style mustard

2 Heaping Tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs from your garden (I used thyme and marjoram)

1 Big, meaty handful of fresh spinach

Shavings of cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the first three ingredients in a pot, cover with water and bring them to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are just tender.  If you need more water, add it.

Drain the cooked mixture and set it aside.

While the lentils cook, make a simple vinaigrette:

8 Tablespoons olive oil, 5 Tablespoons of mixed vinegars, the Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk everything together and when the lentils are barely warm, mix in the vinaigrette and fresh herbs.  Set the bowl aside for the flavors to meld.

Before serving, whisk together the remaining oil and vinegar, and pour it over the fresh spinach.  Blend in the spinach with the lentils and put the cheese shavings over the top.  Presto!  Easy and everything is done and waiting before the guests arrive.

I’m not only a warm weather guy, but also a lazy guy.  Join me. Take a seat.  More bubbly?  Sure, why the hell not?

Couscous Salad – a ‘Go-To’ Dish

Plumping the raisins

Whenever my spouse starts off, “Sweetie, I forgot to tell you,..”  I know I'm going to be doing some fast-enough-to-stop-your-heart cooking.  It’s seven in the morning and the brunch is at ten, or it’s five in the afternoon and she needs a dish for the seven p.m. church supper.  I’m Pavlov trained.  I race for the pantry when I hear ‘Sweeetie.’

Like any good fielder, ya gotta be ready when the ball is smacked in your direction.  No excuses about ‘I wasn’t ready!’ or ‘That ball took a bad bounce.’  You’re either a cook or you’re not.  You either pull something out of the oven/off the stove, or you’re just another wannabe cook and full time whiner.

What’s fast and delicious and a crowd pleaser?  Man, I already gave you some biscuit choices:  plain, cheese, sugared, scones, and shortbread.  Those recipes only require you to keep a normal, well-stocked pantry.

Couscous salad is another addition to your ever-expanding repertoire of ‘got it covered’ recipes.  Check the recipe below.  Everything comes straight from the cupboard except for celery and spring onions, which everyone always has handy, and a bit of fresh cilantro, mint, or parsley.  I use cilantro, but your choice.  Mint grows like a weed.  Plant some now and it’ll last until the first frost and be back even stronger in the spring.

Couscous is one of those ubiquitous pasta-like dishes that stretches from shore to shore around the Mediterranean.  Serve it hot.  Serve it cold.  It’s everywhere, by itself and as part of elaborate stews.

Besides speed, why would I pick something like couscous salad to serve to unsuspecting diners?  It has the freshest of tastes and compliments any dish you’d care to name.  No weird or offensive ingredients. Vegetarian if you want it to be.  Versatile is the word I’m looking for. Spans cultures.  Spans ages.

Don’t be timid.  Charge right in.  First time is a charm.

Couscous Salad

3 T unsalted butter

1/8 t powdered turmeric (This is strictly for color)

1 1/2 Cups chicken stock  (one can is about 2 cups, so you can up the couscous to 2 cups)

1 1/2 Cups dry couscous

1 1/2 Cups diced celery

2/3 Cup currents or raisins, plumped in hot water

1/3 Cup thinly sliced scallions

1/3 Cup lightly toasted pine nuts (or almonds, or cashews)

1/4 Cup minced fresh cilantro

1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

1/4 t ground cinnamon

1/2 Cup olive oil

In a large skillet with a lid, melt the butter at medium heat and add the turmeric.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Stir in the couscous, cover the skillet and remove it from the heat.  Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, then uncover and transfer the contents to a ceramic or glass bowl, breaking up any lumps. 

Toast the nuts in a small, ungreased pan.  When they take on just a bit of color, they’re toasted. Add the celery, scallions, raisins, pine nuts and parsley to the couscous.  Toss the mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk (I use a blender) together the lemon juice and cinnamon.  Continue to whisk while adding the olive oil in a slow stream.  Whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.  When emulsified, the dressing will look creamy.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad.  Toss the salad and season it with salt and pepper.  The salad may be made a day ahead and kept covered and chilled.  Decorate with sprigs of greenery. Serves 6.

Whenever and wherever I serve it, this dish never fails to disappear.  It has one of those complex, yet satisfying flavors that make you want to have ‘just one more’ spoonful.

No longer will ‘Sweetie, I forgot to tell you…’ strike terror.  You’re no longer just a cook.  You’re a kitchen warrior!