A peek at spring
The plum tree is in blossom and all the tulip magnolias — that little February wisp of spring has lasted just long enough to coax the almond trees into bloom and green-up the rows beneath the blooms. I’m hungry for something bright and lively.
Salmon is the shared ingredient in these two recipes, and it provides the perfect foil for spring vegetables. In the first recipe, baby red new potatoes, fresh asparagus and dill give the warm salad brightness, but what makes it lively is the unexpected combination of roasted red bell peppers and salmon.
You can skip the escarole, a leafy green from the chicory family that has curly leaves and a bitter flavor — Chef
Anna Stockwell has recommended substituting a blend of lettuces very similar to the spring mix you find in the grocery store. I also skipped the feta — there were so many great flavors, I felt like it was unnecessary.
Lemon-Roasted Salmon with Escarole, Asparagus and Potatoes
Recipe by Anna Stockwell for Epicurious; serves four and takes about 40 minutes.
Salmon ingredients:
• 1 ½ pounds salmon fillet
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces roasted red bell peppers from a jar, thinly sliced
Salad ingredients:
• ½ pound small new potatoes, halved
• 1 bunch asparagus, (about 1 pound), trimmed
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon honey
• 1⁄3 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill plus sprigs for serving
• ½ heads escarole, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups) or young green and red leaf lettuces with radicchio and butter lettuce — Spring Mix
• 3 ounces feta, crumbled Preparation: Cook the salmon — preheat oven to
300 degrees. Place salmon in a baking dish and rub with lemon zest, oregano, salt, pepper on all sides, then drizzle with oil. Arrange peppers around salmon. Bake until salmon is firm but still pink in the center — about 20 minutes. If you prefer salmon more well done, cook an extra 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the salad. Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 2 inches of water. Cover pot and bring water to a boil. Add potatoes, cover and steam until tender,10-12 minutes. Add asparagus to potatoes, cover and steam until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper and ¼ cup dill in a small bowl or measuring cup. Toss lettuce mix with half the dressing in a large bowl, then transfer to a serving platter.
Toss potatoes and asparagus with remaining dressing in the same bowl, then arrange over lettuce. Flake salmon into large pieces and arrange on latter. Top with feta, peppers and dill sprigs.
The second recipe has almost a beachy feeling. It’s a bright, sunny combination of pan-roasted salmon, winter red grapefruit, pale green avocado and a creamy cabbage slaw similar to what you’d find in a Baja-style taco stand.
Pan Roasted Salmon with GrapefruitCabbage Slaw
This recipe by Sara Dickerman for Bon Appetit serves four.
Ingredients:
One large pink grapefruit, cut into supremes, juice reserved
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 5 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, preferably wildcaught sockeye or king, skin on, pin bones removed • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
• 1⁄2 ripe avocado, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
• 1⁄2 medium Savoy cabbage head, (Napa cabbage), cored and very thinly sliced
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
Preparation: Combine the grapefruit juice and shallot in a small bowl; set aside. Score the skin side of the salmon and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat. Place the salmon skin side down in the skillet. Cook until the skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip the fillets, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the fish is barely opaque at the center of each fillet, about 4 more minutes. Set aside. If you’re using thinner Sock-eye Salmon, reduce cooking time by 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the grapefruit juice—shallot mixture, yogurt, and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the grapefruit segments, avocado, and cabbage and toss gently to combine, season with salt and pepper. Top the slaw with cilantro and serve alongside the salmon.
Frolic in the almond blossoms under that brilliant blue sky — it’s spring!