Recipe: Warm Salmon Salad With Orange Vinaigrette is a perfect dinner dish

Warm Salmon Salad With Orange Vinaigrette makes a delicious dinner. The pomegranate seeds add a flavor punch to the mild orange-juice-based dressing. They also look beautiful sprinkled on the fish and greens. The dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Removing pomegranate seeds from the membranes is easier if you know the underwater trick. Have a look at cook’s notes in the recipe for the details. Or for an even easier approach, pick up ready-to-use pomegranate seeds which are available at many supermarkets.

Salmon Salad With Orange Vinaigrette and Pomegranate

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Frank’s RedHot, to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 large shallot, minced

Minced zest of 1 orange (colored part only) and flesh of peeled orange cut into sections

1 cup pomegranate seeds, divided use

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless salmon fillet, cut into 2-inch crosswise pieces

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Seasoned salt or herb blend of choice, to taste

Salad: 1 head Bibb lettuce, washed, drained and torn into pieces, 1 8-ounce bag mixed baby greens

Cook’s notes: To remove pomegranate seeds using the underwater technique, cut pomegranate into quarters on a paper towel. Fill a medium bowl with cold water. Hold a pomegranate quarter under the water, seed-side down. Pull edges back, exposing seeds. Most of the seeds will pop out. Run fingers over seeds to remove them. Turn over, still holding under water, and pick out any remaining seeds. The water prevents any splatters or drips. Seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and small membrane pieces will float to the top. Discard membranes (they’re bitter) and drain seeds. Pat dry with a paper towel. Store seeds (that have been patted dry) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Or freeze, airtight, for up to two months.

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to a position 8 inches below the broiler element. Preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. In a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine orange juice, mustard and vinegar. Process until blended. Add the olive oil and hot sauce; process until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in shallot, orange zest, orange sections and half of the pomegranate seeds. Set aside.

3. Brush foil-lined baking sheet with a little of the melted butter. Place salmon on sheet, leaving a little room between each. Brush with butter and season to taste with either your favorite seasoned salt or herb blend, plus a little ground pepper to taste.

4. Place under broiler. Broil about 6 minutes or until salmon is cooked. Broiling times will vary according to thickness of salmon. The top of the salmon should be slightly browned. To check for interior doneness, pierce salmon with a fork at the thickest part and gently pull apart. It should be uniformly just barely opaque. If it isn’t cooked, turn off oven and place fish back in the oven on a lower rack. The residual heat will finish off the cooking (usually in about 3 minutes).

5. Place lettuce in a large bowl. Stir dressing. Add just enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Toss. (Leftover dressing can be refrigerated and used within 1 week.) Divide salad among 6 dinner plates. Top with salmon. Sprinkle with remaining pomegranate seeds. Serve.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.