Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Spicy Salmon Salad

Chef: Dame Alison Holst as heard on Afternoons Saturday 13 December 2008

Tags: salad, salmon

This is an interesting and delicious summer salad! Serve it for lunch or for your main meal of the day, varying the ingredients and amounts to suit yourself. Try the glaze for the salmon using the quantities listed, then make your own modifications if you like.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• A 200g slice cut from a fresh salmon fillet
• 1 Tbsp each sweet chilli sauce, tomato sauce, light soya sauce and white wine vinegar
• Flour for coating salmon
• 2 tsp each canola oil and butter
• About 2 cups cooked rice, cooked pasta shapes, or cooked cubed potatoes
• About 3 cups roughly chopped iceberg or other crisp lettuce
• Cubed cucumber and tomato
• Chopped spring onion or chives
• About 2 Tbsp French dressing

Method

First assemble all the ingredients.

Put the slice of salmon (cut from the thick end of a boneless, skinless fillet) on a cutting board. Cut the salmon into three rectangular pieces of even size, then cut each piece into thin, 5mm strips across the grain of the fish. Put about 2 Tbsp of flour in a plastic bag, toss the pieces of salmon in it, then take the lightly coated fish from the bag, discarding any unused flour.

Mix together the sauces and vinegar in a small bowl or jug, and put the mixture aside.

Put a large pan on to heat. Just before you are ready to cook the salmon, put the oil and butter in a hot pan and add the lightly floured salmon. Turn the pieces of salmon after about 30 seconds and cook them for about 30 seconds longer, until they are just firm, then pour in about half the sauce, and toss the salmon in the sauce so both sides are coated. Add more sauce if you like a thicker coating. Put the pan on a cold surface or put the fish on a flat plate to stop it cooking further. (Refrigerate extra sauce for later use.)

Put all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl, toss them with just enough French dressing to coat the leaves, etc, then arrange the salad mixture on two plates and arrange the pieces of salmon on top, and serve immediately.

Variations

Replace the tomato sauce with Wattie's Asian Chilli Sauce. Use other salad vegetables if preferred.

Sprinkle with chopped dill, chives, parsley or coriander leaves just before serving.