Here’s a salad for the in-between time, the sad, kind of grey time, when winter is over, and before there’s anything really growing in your garden. It’s right now that you just can’t stand the sight of another winter stew.
Early spring cooking can be either depressing (there’s not much at the farmer’s market) or hopeful (there’s about to be a whole lot at the farmer’s market.) Either way, most of what we’re eating is still coming from the grocery store.
This salad puts together a few textures: sweet, sauteed onions, creamy avocado, crunchy carrot and an easy, homemade dressing. Place on top of all that a seared piece of wild-caught salmon and a sprinkle of crunchy, salty nuts, and our early spring evenings aren’t looking so grey after all.
Serve the salad with tater tots and a glass of white wine.
Seared Salmon Salad with crunchy and salty things
Course: Stories4
servingsIngredients
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
Olive oil
Kosher salt
2 pounds wild-caught salmon
5 cups salad greens
1 large carrot, julienned
1 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
½ cup salted pistachios, chopped fine
Fresh chives, chopped
Lemon-thyme dressing: ½ cup olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon runny honey, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, black pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large skillet placed over medium-low heat, pour in a few tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is warm, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and starting to turn golden brown on the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add a bit more oil and turn the heat up to medium high. Season the salmon pieces with salt and add to the pan. Cook for two minutes on each side, and remove to a plate to rest for a moment.
- Assemble the salad: On a platter, arrange the greens, carrots, sauteed onions, avocado and salmon pieces. Sprinkle the pistachios and chives over all.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and drizzle just enough to moisten the salad. Serve the salad with the remaining dressing on the side.
