Salmon Salad | Alaskan Harvest Seafood Blog

Salmon and Fennel with Roasted-lemon Vinaigrette

You might not know it from the weather, but spring is on its way, and along with the frenzied cleaning of apartments and homes, shaking out of rugs, and stowing of wool sweaters, soon we’ll be lightening up our meals, as well, and trading in the earthy, warm dishes that comfort us in the winter months for cool, fresh tastes from new gardens. This preparation, from Real Simple magazine, is full of clean and bright spring flavors, and is excellent both warm from the oven, or at room temperature as a satisfying lunch. This serves four.

You will need:

2 bulbs fennel, thinly sliced
2 lemons, cut in half
4-5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper
4 6-oz. pieces wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skin removed
1 tsp honey
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
12 oz. mixed greens

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan (I use a cast-iron skillet), toss the fennel, lemons, and garlic in a tablespoon of oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and then roast in the oven until the fennel begins to soften, around 8 - 10 minutes.

2. Rinse the fillets under cold running water, and pat dry with a paper towel. Dust them with salt and pepper and then nestle them into the fennel. Return the pan to the oven and roast the salmon until it is opaque all the way through but not dry, between 12-15 minutes.

3. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins into a small bowl and mash them to a paste. Squeeze out the lemon pulp, removing any seeds, and add the pulp and juice to the bowl with the garlic. Stir in the honey, rosemary, remaining oil, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly.

4. Arrange the greens on serving plates, and place the salmon and fennel on the greens. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Recommended pairings: soft sourdough rolls or ciabatta, pomegranate spritzers, Sauvignon Blanc, black sesame crackers, sharp dry cheese.

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Leftover Salmon?

Filed under: Salmon Recipes, Seafood Recipes — Tags: leftover salmon, leftovers, Salmon, salmon cakes, salmon lunch ideas, salmon recipe, salmon salad —

Whether your salmon was grilled, baked, broiled or poached, it makes great leftovers. Buy extra and plan ahead - Friday evening’s dinner becomes a perfect light lunch for the weekend, with little preparation.

Salmon Salad

Flake leftover cooked salmon into a bowl, and add just enough mayonnaise to hold it all together; too much will overpower the flavors and make it mushy. For an unusual twist on standard tuna salad sandwiches, try adding one or more of the following to the flaked salmon and mayonnaise combination:

curry powder
chopped fresh dill
hot sauce and chopped fresh cilantro
capers and flecks of cream cheese or chevre (goat cheese)
soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil
sweet pickles
minced red onion and stoneground mustard

Salmon Cakes

These are excellent alone as appetizers, or atop a homemade caesar with crisp romaine, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and lemon wedges.

Basic ingredients:

leftover salmon, flaked (canned works well, too)
one egg, beaten
a cup or more of crushed soda crackers (put them in a large ziploc bag and roll them with a rolling pin or bottle of wine)
salt and pepper
flour for dusting

Suggested add-ins:

minced red bell pepper
chopped cilantro
minced fresh jalapenos
fresh garlic, crushed
cumin
capers
Be creative!

Combine all the ingredients (except the flour) in a large bowl and mix well with washed hands. The mixture should be dough-like in consistency; if it’s too wet, add some flour or more cracker crumbs; if it’s too dry, add a splash of milk. Form the cakes into inch-thick rounds, dust them with flour on a flat plate, and fry in a quarter inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet until brown. Crack the first one open to be sure they’re fully cooked - they need to be crisp on the outside, and hot all the way through. If the oil is too hot, they may brown too much before cooking through: turn down the heat and smash the cakes a little flatter. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low-temperature oven before serving.