Fresh Salmon Salad with Homemade Boiled Dressing

Homemade Boiled Dressing

Fresh Salmon Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We're heading for the coast today. Pollen counts here in the valley are fearsome and a day of ocean breezes will help clear the head and get the holiday weekend off to a rousing start. I've organized a potluck of sorts and my contribution to communal feast is going to be a salad made with cucumbers and freshly poached salmon. This is not wedding or garden party food. The salmon will be served in chunks that are lightly tossed with a homemade boiled dressing and it will be accompanied by a selection of breads for those with trenchermen appetites or carb cravings. I made the dressing yesterday and it is happily chilling in the refrigerator. The salmon and I are communing as I write this. Once it is done, I'll break it into chunks and refrigerate it as well. My plan is to combine and toss the various elements of the salad just before serving. The combination is lovely and I plan to use the extra dressing for other salads this weekend. Mine will be just one of many dishes that we share today and I'm really looking forward to sampling all of them. Here are the recipes for the boiled dressing and the poached salmon salad. I know that those of you who try them will be really pleased with the results.

Boiled Dressing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups milk

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1) Combine flour, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk.

2) Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

3) Gradually stir the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Pour back into saucepan.

4) Add vinegar and mustard. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Fresh Salmon Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

Salmon

3-1/2 pound piece fresh salmon

1/2 lemon sliced

1-1/2 tablespoons salt

6 whole black peppers

1 bay leaf

Tops from 2 celery stalks

Dressing

1-1/4 cups boiled salad dressing

1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoon fresh snipped dill-half that if using dry

1-1/2 cups peeled cucumbers cut in 1/4-inch dice

Optional garnishes

Leaf lettuce

Tomato wedges

Lemon wedges

Sliced cucumber

Directions:

1) To make salmon: Wash salmon. Place in large kettle or fish poacher. Add just enough water to cover. Add sliced lemon, salt, black peppers, bay leaf and celery tops. Slowly bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30-35 minutes, or until fish flakes when tested with a fork. Using a slotted utensil, carefully remove salmon from water and transfer to a plate. Let cool until it can be handled. Remove and discard skin and any bones. There should be about 2-1/2 pounds of salmon remaining. Break into large chunks and chill for several hours.

2) To make dressing: Combine boiled dressing, lemon juice, dill and diced cucumbers in a medium bowl. Mix well and chill for at least one hour.

3) To serve: Just before serving toss salmon with dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Line a bowl or plate with lettuce. Mound salmon in center. Garnish as desired. Yield: 12 servings.