Seared Salmon and Romaine Heart Salad

If you're looking for a change from the ubiquitous Chicken Caesar Salad, this salmon dish from Peggy Thompson, chef of DISH, makes an elegant and satisfying lunch at any time of the year or a refreshing main course for a summer dinner.

For a single serving:

For salmon and salad:
1 4-ounce filet of salmon
1/2 of a small heart of romaine lettuce
3 thin slices European cucumber, washed but not peeled
3 slices or wedges of plum tomato
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Small bunch of fresh dill

For dill dressing:
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped dill (reserving one stem for each serving)
3/4 to 1 cup grapeseed oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of cayenne

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Season the salmon filet with salt and pepper. Place it in a hot Teflon pan with olive oil and sear on both sides. Transferring fish carefully to an oven-safe pan, finish in the oven for five to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of salmon. It is best served slightly pink in center.

In a blender, mix the yolks, vinegar and mustard. Slowly add oil into blender. Turn it off and mix in chopped dill. Season with salt, pepper and the dash of cayenne.

Cut romaine heart in half, then cut out the center core. Garnish romaine with sliced cucumber on one side and tomato wedges on the other side.

Put some red onion slices over the bottom of the romaine half. Place the seared salmon across the top of the romaine. Drizzle dill dressing across the salmon and romaine and garnish the salmon with a piece of fresh dill.

This recipe first appeared in the NorthWest Current. Photo Bill Petros/The Current.

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