Nothing says warmer weather like saying goodbye to our heavier and heartier comfort dishes and saying hello to lighter, more seasonal fare. Not only are fresh fruits and vegetables about to be a plenty, but bathing suit season is right around the corner. One of my favorite proteins to have is fresh fish. And if we are breaking it down even more, fresh Salmon. Pair that with a combo of acidity, creaminess, crunch, saltiness and sweetness, you have yourself a great meal that is not only good for you, but enjoyable to eat as well!
Way back when I first joined Weight Watchers fresh out of college, I became reliant on some of the healthier options that the restaurant I was working at offered. One of those items was a grilled salmon wrap. A spinach wrap not only featured a crisp grilled piece of salmon but a tangy vinaigrette that lettuce, tomato and onion were tossed in with sprouts and some other veggies that are escaping my mind right now. I looked forward to it everyday that I worked and it furthered my love of salmon even more. As time went on, it became one of my favorite fishes and I enjoyed learning different ways of seeing it cooked.
Over time, I learned how healthy salmon was, although some would say it was a “fatty fish” and “why don’t you eat a fish that is lower in points/not as fatty”. Salmon is a “fattier” fish, but it’s actually loaded with healthy fats and omega-3’s that are valuable for not only your health but weight loss as well.
Now, salmon, or fish in general, isn’t always the cheapest option. However, anymore, there are many frozen varieties that are more doable in price range. To me, if you pay a bit more for your food and it has more benefits to your health, it’s more then worth the price.
So let’s start out this recipe with some nice cuts of salmon. I generally will get a large piece at Trader Joe’s or my local grocery store and cut it down into smaller pieces. Then I can control my portions myself as well as freezing some for later meals. Do a quick scan for bones. There’s a good chance that they have already been looked at and combed through but there’s always a chance that some could be missed.
Now I leave the skin on because truth be told, it adds a lot of flavor. You can opt to remove this now or leave it on. It also helps the fish hold together during the cooking process. The salmon skin itself generally offers a lot of health benefits as well. You can choose to eat the skin or not. I personally don’t care for the texture of salmon skin so I always eat the meat off of it.
At this point, the salmon should be cold, whether it is coming out of the refrigerator, coming straight from the store or defrosting from the freezer. We want to allow that to come to room temp slightly and season it. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper or any other seasoning you care for. Let this rest for a bit at room temp.
Meanwhile, let’s get our other ingredients ready! As I’ve said in multiple other posts, if you are making a sauce or a dip or something that is going to be served cold, we want that to get some refrigerator time in order to build more flavor. Therefore, our vinaigrette is going to be next on that prep list.
I came up with this vinaigrette while working at that major television network. Fellow colleagues and I were making family meal (or staff meal) and I wanted something light and fresh that would match the flavor profiles they were creating. It became a hit and I made it multiple times over from then on, getting compliments each time. All you need are some fresh herbs, some fresh citrus and some pantry staples.
I’ve also used a mini food processor in multiple posts and will be pulling out that bad boy again today. If you don’t have one, you really should invest in one. It’s a prepping power house! This one is very similar to the one I have. And mine was gifted to me back in 2004 and is still going!
Roughly chop up about fresh dill, fresh italian/flat leaf parsley and fresh chives. Add them into the processor along the juice of two lemons, some lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of honey and some kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Start up your food processor and while it is going, drizzle in your avocado oil. This will create an emulsion, which is the forming of liquids and proteins together to create a suspended texture. Once you’ve used your avocado oil up, blend for another 10 seconds and then taste. Adjust seasonings as you’d like and then transfer to another container and refrigerate until ready to use.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender, an immersion blender or even just an old school whisk. If you go the whisk route, just make sure to chop your herbs finer.
Next up, it’s time to cut the orange rind off your blood oranges. I’m such a sucker for blood oranges. The color is sooooooo gorgeous and the flavor is amazing. If there is blood orange anything on a menu, I generally end up ordering it. Because we don’t want these to be tough to eat, we are going to cut the entire rind off of these and leave it whole. Then afterwards, slice it into wheels. If you really want to get fancy and switch up the color on your salad, get some regular oranges and blood oranges to add more dynamic to the plate.
I used dry roasted almonds here, which I think really pack more of a punch with texture and flavor. Even though they are roasted, I toast them slightly just to add a bit more flavor. Toasting nuts brings out their natural oils so as I have in past posts, I always recommend doing this before you use them in any capacity.
Now it’s time to sear that salmon. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of avocado oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil moves like water, your pan is hot enough. Here’s a helpful chef tip: fish doesn’t stick to grills or pans because they are too hot, they stick because the pan isn’t hot enough. So heat that pan up good and don’t drop that salmon until you are confident it is hot enough. Not sure? Like I said, if the oil that you put in the pan moves around like water, then it is ready.
Place your salmon non-skin side down first and get a nice good sear on it. If you try to flip the fish too soon and it is holding on to the pan, then it is not ready to be flipped. That’s the great part about cooking fish, it’ll let you know when it’s ready. Once you get that good sear, turn your heat down and flip the salmon to place the skin side down on the pan. Let this hang out here for a 3-4 minutes. At this point, grab a lid and cover the pan.
Another great thing salmon does is let you know when you are overcooking it. So if you see “white stuff” coming out of the fish, that’s the sign that you have over cooked it. So make sure you are watching your fish. I personally like my salmon a little medium, meaning that the center still has some pinkness to it. Salmon is similar to a steak in that you can undercook it to a temp if someone wants it.
While your salmon is finishing cooking, make sure to wash your lettuce and dry it thoroughly. I like using a mixture of spring mix as well as a little bit of frisee for texture. Julienne your red onions and toss the two together with your toasted pine nuts and vinaigrette.
Lay your oranges down in a fan pattern on the plate. Carefully mound salad mixture on top of the oranges, leaving some to peek out from underneath the lettuce. Sprinkle your goat cheese on top of the salad or if you’d like, you can also toss it in your salad mixture.
Remove your salmon from the pan and place it at a 45 degree angle on top of your salad. Garnish this with a little extra dill if you’d like on the plate and or drizzle a little extra vinaigrette on the plate for extra color. And that’s it! A gorgeous salad fit for a restaurant that you can have right in your own home.
Obviously if you aren’t a salmon fan, you can switch this up for shrimp, chicken or even turkey. The dressing is one that is really versatile and pairs well with spicy dishes and also Mediterranean flavors.
I won’t be putting points down anymore for WW as the plan is so personalized now that what may be 0 points for me, might not be for you. So take a look and see what this salad would be for you point wise. Keep in mind that the dressing is definitely more then two servings. I can generally get 12 servings out of this recipe so you may want to point that out separately. For me, it’s 4 points per serving, including the dressing, which I am happy to take.
Seared Salmon Salad with Blood Oranges, Toasted Pine Nuts, Goat Cheese and Citrus Herb Vinaigrette
Serves 2
- 2 4oz Salmon Filets, Skin on and bones removed
- Kosher Salt & Pepper to Taste or Seasoning of Choice
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup fresh dill, stems removed and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh chives, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, stems removed and coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp honey
- 3/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 blood orange, outer rind and pith removed
- 3 cups spring mix
- 2 Tbsp pine nuts
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 oz goat cheese
- Additional fresh dill for garnish
Pat salmon dry and double check for bones in filets. Season with kosher salt and pepper or seasoning of choice. Allow to sit at room temperature while preparing other ingredients.
In a small food processor or using a blender, combine lemon juice, dill, chives, parsley, honey and salt and pepper into container. Start blending while slowing pouring in a steady stream of olive oil. Continue blending until dressing is smooth and almost creamy like in texture. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Store in refrigerator until ready.
Slice blood oranges into wheels, 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.
Using a small sauté pan, lightly toast pine nuts to bring out flavor. Set aside.
Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp of avocado oil and allow to get hot. Once oil moves like water, it’s ready to go. Place salmon flesh side down into the pan. Allow to cook until salmon has a nice brown crust on it. Flip over to skin side and turn heat down slightly. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes and then cover with a lid. Cook until salmon is opaque and slightly pink in the center. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine spring mix, pine nuts and red onions. Drizzle with citrus herb dressing and toss to incorporate.
Lay 3 blood orange slices down on each serving plate. Divide salad mixture between two plates. Sprinkle goat cheese on top of salad. Place salmon pieces carefully down on a 45 degree angle on top of each plate. Garnish with additional fresh dill and some dressing on plate. Serve immediately.