Gift of Salmon
I work in a small office with only two other people…well, three others actually but one is a part time recruiter who works from home and comes in one day a week to the office. I tell you this because it is key to how I ended up with a treasure trove of beautiful smoked salmon.
In the office one morning Mr. H asked if either Mr. E or I like smoked salmon. An old friend of his had sent him some, but Mrs. H does not like fish and did not want it in their fridge. As luck would have it, Mrs. E is allergic to fish, so that left only me to take the stuff off Mr. H’s hands. My mind immediately went to my blog and to what delicacy I could make with a little smoked salmon (or so I thought).
“My life is what a salmon must feel like. They are always going upstream, against the current.” – Laura Schlessinger
At the end of the day I grabbed the bag from the refrigerator and headed home, where I discovered it contained three very large whole salmon (less head and tail). Whoa! What was I going to do with all that lovely pink fish? I wasn’t sure, but I was going to have fun figuring it out!
Paying Homage to My Salmon
These were Kokanee Salmon freshly caught in the icy cold waters of the beautiful Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming. Flaming Gorge is the largest reservoir in Wyoming and a popular destination for fishing, boating, and camping. Kokanee are fresh water salmon, which usually don’t get as big as their salt water relatives, so my beauties must have been on the larger side of the fresh water scale.
A Salad That Checks All the Boxes
So day one of my salmon tsunami is all about waking up your senses and making those tastebuds dance! Crunch, color, sweet, sour…it’s all in this simple but beautiful salad. Add a loaf of crusty bread for a perfect lunch, or a warm bowl of tomato soup for a satisfying dinner.
This smoked salmon salad starts with crunchy mixed greens (whatever kind you prefer). I added halved heirloom tomatoes, sliced English or Persian cucumbers (they have a thinner skin and less seeds than the traditional cucumber), thinly sliced purple brussel sprouts, and sliced yellow radishes. You can substitute whatever veggies you prefer (carrots, traditional or watermelon radishes, etc. would all be great choices) or what is available where you live.
Top your creation off with a colorful fruit selection…I love thinly sliced figs and shiny ruby-red pomegranite seeds when in season!
Add tender chunks of your smoky salmon and this sunny, easy-to-make Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette and you have a perfect salad! The vinaigrette is a simple mix of dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, vinegar, olive oil, and some seasonings whisked together just before you pour it on the salad! There’s just something about home-made dressings isn’t there?
So there you have it…Six Days of Smoked Salmon – Day One! I hope you enjoy this beautiful, easy salad and come back for Day Two! Please let me know in the comments what you think of this dish, and keep up with all the spicyness by subscribing to the newsletter!
Michele
Smoked Salmon Salad
A colorful, delicious smoked salmon salad that hits all the right notes on your tastebuds!
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 10 oz heirloom tomatoes – halved
- 1 persian or English Cucumber – sliced
- 1/2 cup radish – any type – thinly sliced can use carrots or other vegetable
- 1/2 cup purple brussel sprouts – thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced figs
- 1/4 cup pomegranite seeds
- 8 oz smoked salmon – crumbled into chunks
Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic – finely minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano or basil
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Salad
-
Layer salad ingredients in order above in individual bowls or in one large salad bowl.
Vinaigrette
-
Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients except for salt and pepper together in a small bowl until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad when ready to serve.
Yum! These all look delicious! Canât wait to try these recipes! Thanks for sharing them!
Thanks Laura! Hope you enjoy!
I love smoked salmon….especially when it’s free! Lol. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Me too Shirley!
This looks and sounds amazing! Iâm usually boring and just bake it with dill and lemon, so this looks like a great way to get me out of my comfort zone!
A Slice of Spice! lol
Oh, I love salmon!! Considering I cannot eat either white fish or shellfish anymore (sensitivity to the former and allergy to the latter), I am big on making sure I have salmon as often as I can. Printing off this recipe so I can give it a try.
Enjoy!
I am always looking for a new way to make salmon. Thanks for sharing!
Hope you enjoy!
I have never been big on salmon. I will try it again though.
Smoked Salmon has a very different flavor…give it a try.
Great ideas! I’m a big salmon fan!
Me too!
This sounds so delicious! Love that Smoked Salmon has so many different options!!! My favorite is always on a New York bagel. đ
Oh yum!
I LOVE smoked salmon. What a great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Yum!! We just smoked some kokenai salmon from when we went ice fishing. I should make this salad the next time.
Look for the rest of the recipes coming your way!
You ended up with such a wonderful gift! The smoked salmon looks and sounds delicious! I can’t wait to make it for my family.
It was a great bonanza!
This looks like something my husband would love. He could probably eat salmon every day for the rest of his life. He also loves salads with fruit.
He sounds like my kind of eater!
A fiest for the eyes and the stomach
They say we eat with our eyes!
Looks like a delicious salad. And how fun, to come up with six ways to serve up salmon.
It was a lot of salmon!
That looks so good! I can’t wait to try the recipe.
That sounds delicious! My mouth was watering the whole time I was reading.
Thank you for the recipe. I love salmon and am always looking for new ways to cook it!
I am a vegan myself, but my husband would surely love it. Looks delicious đ
I LOVE smoked salmon, how fortunate you are that the Mrs. was allergic to fish lol You did this fine fish justice your recipe looks delish. Thank you đ
I haven’t had smoked salmon in a long time, but after seeing this salad, I will need to get some!!
What a GORGEOUS post!!!!
Thanks Jen! I love the colors!
I am not a huge fish eater. It’s just okay for me but this looks amazing! Great photos!
Thank you Tricia.
I have always loved Salmon, I have also gotten my sons to appreciate it. So very good for you with all the Omega 3’s in it. Reduces bad cholesterol and good for cognitive defense.
I love it as well…lots of bang for your buck!
I have never been a salmon eater but these recipes look delicious! Thank you for sharing them!
Smoked salmon has a very different flavor from traditional salmon. You should give it a try.
Looks lovely. Can’t wait to see what’s on the menu for day two!
Thanks Leigh Ann!