Go-To Salmon Salad
Perfectly cooked salmon is the star of this filling and delicious salad featuring crisp French green beans, creamy avocado and a rich homemade Caesar dressing that couldn't be easier!
Ingredients
- 2 center cut salmon fillets 6 oz each
- 2 eggs soft boiled (see notes for steaming instructions)
- french green beans hericot verts
- 1 avocado sliced
- cocktail or other small tomatoes halved or sliced
- oil cured black olives or olives of choice
- 2 oz creamy goat cheese crumbled
- croutons see notes if making homemade
- Old Bay kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
- Olive and or avocado oil 2 TBSP total
- Salad greens of your choice washed and dried and torn into bite size pieces, enough for two servings
Caesar Dressing
- 1/3 cup crème fraiche sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp grated parmesan
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 small clove garlic grated
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- I like to make the dressing at least an hour ahead to let the flavors develop. Combine all of the ingredients for your dressing in a bowl & whisk until smooth & completely combined. Taste & adjust seasonings. You can add a little water if it's too thick (start with a Tbsp). Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- If making your own croutons, do this now (see notes for instructions)
- Bring pot of salted water to a boil & have large bowl filled with ice cubes & cold water ready (ice bath). Plunge beans into boiling water wait 2 1/2 minutes. Drain beans in a colander, run cold water over, & place in ice bath. Once beans are completely cool lay them out on a double thickness of paper towels or a clean dish towel & roll them up. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- If steaming eggs, do this now (see notes for instructions)
- Season salmon with Old Bay, kosher salt & cracked pepper to your preference, set aside & let salmon come to room temp about 20 minutes.
- While salmon sits, gather your remaining ingredients. Slice your tomatoes, & avocados. Peel & quarter your eggs. Get your salad greens ready.
- To cook salmon: Set oven to 325 f & put a Tbsp each of olive & avocado oil in an oven proof skillet (stainless or cast iron). Heat your oil in the skillet just until it shimmers over moderate heat. Lay your salmon, skin side up, in the oil. You want the oil hot enough to sizzle nicely, but not so hot that it burns. leave the salmon alone for 3-4 minutes.
- After 3-4 minutes slide a thin metal spatula under the fish to see if it lifts easily. If it gives a lot of resistance wait a little longer & check again in a minute. The top should be nice & golden & it should release easily. Flip your fish over & place entire skillet in the oven.
- Cook 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of your fillet & how long you seared it. Check at 8 minutes with an instant read thermometer. It should read 120 when it's ready to take out. Residual cooking should increase the temperature to 125. If you're squeamish about salmon being a little pink take it out at 125 & let it rise to 130.
- While salmon cooks arrange greens on individual bowls or plates. Arrange tomatoes, green beans, eggs, olives, avocados on top leaving a space for your salmon. Drizzle with a little bit of the dressing.
- When salmon is done slide spatula between the skin & the flesh & place on top of salad. Sprinkle croutons and cheese around salmon & drizzle with a little more dressing. Crack some pepper over all.
Notes
- For croutons: Preheat oven to 350 and slice 1/2" thick slice of firm bread into squares about 1". Place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make seasoning stick, don't soak them. Toss them to distribute the oil evenly and then season with a little kosher salt. You can use other seasoning if you like (garlic powder, cracked pepper, even a little parmesan cheese. just depends on your taste). spread cubes out so that they aren't crowded and bake 10-15 minutes, stirring around a couple of times to check progress. I like mine crispy outside and a little chewy in the middle, if you prefer crispy all the way through cook longer. Take them out when they're cooked to your liking.
- For eggs: Place cold eggs in a steamer basket and set aside. Bring 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a pot that will hold the steamer basket. Prepare an ice bath. As soon as water comes to a boil place basket with eggs inside and cover with the lid. Set a timer for the appropriate amount of time (I've provided a chart in the notes). Immediately remove the eggs when the time is up and place them in an ice bath. Set aside.
