Salmon with Wilted Greens (Salad)

Chinook Salmon

By Cat, Dec 2007 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

See also:  1. Fish and Seafood Menu; 2. Asian Ginger Sesame salad dressing

In the summertime when I was growing up here in NW Montana, landlocked Kokanee salmon were plentiful game-fish in our lakes. This freshwater salmon is a sockeye salmon that was unable to return to the ocean after swimming up the river, in our case, the Columbia river and its tributaries. They were a deep-water fish, requiring heavy, weighted lines for the hook to sink to their level. They grew to the size of most trout in the lake, 12 – 20 inches long. Unfortunately, they were decimated by competition with non-native lake trout, after the addition of mysis shrimp to the lake in the 1980s (see Topix.com (1) for more about this disaster).

Now I must make do with wild-caught ocean salmon: sockeye, coho, and chinook/king salmon from the Pacific ocean.

Salmon with Wilted Greens

This recipe is adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, January 2007 (2), and serves 4.  The original recipe calls for broiling the salmon, I grill it instead.

Ingredients & Equipment:

• 1 lb. fresh or frozen wild salmon filets (thawed)
• ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp Asian Ginger Sesame salad dressing, divided
• 6 cups mixed salad greens (or young spinach leaves)
• 1 medium orange, peeled & sectioned
• Equipment
• broiler pan with rack
• large, cast iron skillet
• salad bowl

Method

1. Prep: Wash greens.  Rinse well, then pat or spin dry.  Tear into bit-sized pieces. Set aside.
2. Rinse salmon, pat dry.  Cut into 4 pieces.
3. Prepare Asian Ginger Sesame salad dressing.
4. Salmon: Broil salmon on greased unheated rack of broiler pan, 4 inches from heat for 6 to 9 minutes, or until salmon begins to flake easily. (Fish should be slightly rare in the center.  It will continue to cook as it rests.)  Halfway through broiling, brush with 1 Tbsp of the dressing.
5. Cover and keep warm.
6. Salad: In salad bowl, combine the greens and orange sections.  In large skillet, bring remaining ½ cup dressing to boiling.  Boil gently, uncovered, 1 minutes.  Remove from heat.
7. Pour heated dressing over greens in salad bowl, and toss.

Assembly and Serving Suggestions

1. Divide greens among 4 serving plates.
2. Top with salmon and serve immediately.
3. Accompany with a good whole-grain bread (I like brown Irish soda bread) and lots of butter.
4. A bowl of fresh berries and/or peaches, possibly marinated in brandy overnight, and topped with raw whipped cream makes an excellent dessert.

References:

1. Topics,com on Flathead Lake Kokanee salmon topix.com/forum/outdoors/fishing/TCBAPASB6T5I5MVHO
2. Better Homes and Gardens Recipe: bhg.com/recipe/seafood/salmon-with-wilted-greens