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Smoked Salmon Belly, Asparagus & Cherry Tomato Spring Salad with Honey Mustard Horseradish Vinai

Spring is here and it's great to go grocery shopping and find fresh new ingredients, especially after living a cold long winter. Among those ingredients, asparagus and an array of colourful cherry tomatoes. This salad is beyond easy to make and it is delicious. Make it & enjoy!!

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces & blanched

150 g Smoked salmon belly, broken up

1 cup Cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 cup Green onions, sliced

To Taste Kosher salt

To Taste Fresh ground black pepper

For Dressing:

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp Horseradish mustard

1 Tbsp Honey

2 tsp Cider vinegar

1 tsp Garlic, minced

4 tsp Olive oil

To Taste Kosher salt

To Taste Fresh ground black pepper

Method:

  1. To blanch the asparagus: in a small pot bring enough water to cover the asparagus to a rapid boil. Add enough salt to the water for it to taste like the Ocean. While the water comes to a boil, cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. When the water is rapidly boiling, add the cut asparagus, leave in the water until it starts boiling again. Immediately remove from the water into a colander, place under cold running water until they are completely cool.

  2. In a bowl mix the cool asparagus, the broken up salmon, the cut cherry tomatoes and the green onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

  3. For the dressing, place all ingredients, except the olive oil, into a small bowl. Slowly pour the oil and whisk everything together until it is emulsified, season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Top the salad with the dressing, mix well and serve. Keeps well in the refrigerator.

Notes:

  • If you don't have or can't find smoked salmon belly, you can utilize cooked salmon fillets (great recipe to utilize leftover salmon), or even canned salmon.

  • If you can't find Horseradish mustard, replace with an additional 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp either freshly ground horseradish root or prepared horseradish. Or eliminate all together, but it adds an amazing flavour that balances all other ingredients.

  • You can also make the vinaigrette in a bottle. Place all the measured ingredients in a sealable bottle, close the lid and shake well until it is emulsified.

ABE'S COOKING TIPS & POINTERS

#1 

Prep, cut and measure ingredients before you start cooking to ease the process.  Organization is key and lists are your friends.

 

#2

Put a dish towel or a damp paper towel under your cutting board to keep it from slipping and moving around.

 

#3

Grate garlic and ginger with a microplane instead of mincing them with a knife.

 

#4

"Clean as you go" so you are not overwhelmed when you are done.  Find those down moments to wash utensils, pots & pans, and wipe counters, so you can enjoy your food and not have to clean all at the end.

 

#5

Use fresh herbs at the end of the cooking process to add freshness and flavour to the dish, but add dry herbs at the beginning to extract the most flavour possible.

 

#6

Season in layers...  this means to add a little salt and pepper every time you add a new ingredient to the pot/pan.  This will ensure all your ingredients are well seasoned and you will just have to adjust seasoning at the end.

 

#7

Recipes are just guidelines.  Feel free replacing ingredients with similar ones you like.  And remember, time and temperatures may vary according to sizes of the food and your appliances.

 

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