I love salmon. I love how it tastes. I love how it cooks. I even love how quickly it can go from raw (which is sometimes how I serve it … because I'm a sushi girl) to tender and warm. And have I mentioned how it can take something as simple as lowly coleslaw and make it a main event:
Packed with a rainbow of ingredients and a protein punch from the aforementioned salmon, sliced almonds, and hard-boiled eggs, this salad is easily the star of the show at your dinner table. In fact, I've been known to put together a gorgeous bowl like this, pour a tall glass of iced tea, and find a comfy chair in the backyard and just call this dinner. And with temperatures regularly flirting with 90° and higher, why not? No one's looking for an excuse to turn on an oven this time of the year. Save it for December!
Now, if you must have something else to serve with this lovely salad, consider some cheesy breadsticks or your favorite bruschetta. Keep it simple with a bit of fat involved. Since it's such a lean salad, a little decadence alongside is just the thing to leave with you the proper balance for "summer hearty", that is a meal that will fill you, but not leave you feeling bogged down. Instead, find a spot of shade and enjoy what promises to be a cooler evening. Whew!
California Confetti Coleslaw
- 1 c. shredded cabbage
- 2 c. packed fresh spinach leaves
- 1 chopped ripe tomato
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 yellow pepper, diced
- 1/4 c. shredded carrot
- 3 radishes, sliced
- 2 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, pan-sautéed and broken into pieces
- 1/4 c. sliced almonds
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
- 1 T. coarse mustard
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
Combine the first 9 ingredients (cabbage through almonds) in a large serving bowl. Set aside.
Place the next 5 ingredients (olive oil through pepper) in a small resealable jar. Shake vigorously, drizzle over the salad in the serving bowl and toss to coat evenly. Divide the salad evenly among serving bowls and garnish with the hard-boiled eggs.
- Yields: 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes