Smoked Salmon Summer Salad
One of my favourite ways of cooking is hot smoking. It’s simple, adds an extra depth, brings out all the natural flavours and is a sure way to impress friends. There are quite a few different methods of hot smoking food: using small smoker boxes that you can place in your regular hooded bbq, using an old biscuit tin in your oven or having a go at doing it ‘great outdoors style’ on your Weber.
Ingredients (serves 4)
300g kipfler potatoes, washed
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen (defrosted)
300g salmon (skin off) *
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup mint
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
1 cup dill
1 cup frisée (if you can’t find any, a loose type of endive will work!)
Handful of soaked wood chips for smoking
Lemon and chive cream dressing
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup pouring cream
1 tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup (finely cut) chives
Juice of 1 lemon
Handful of woodchips for smoking, soaked in water for at least an hour
*If you don’t have time to smoke your own salmon I recommend purchasing Harris Smokehouse Hot Smoked Salmon
Method
Pre-heat the Weber to a low heat and set up for indirect grilling.
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for (15 mins) until tender. Drain and set aside.
Blanch peas in boiling salted water until bright green (2 mins). Drain and set aside.
Take the salmon fillet, brush both sides with oil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Add two-thirds of the woodchips around coals and when smoke appears, place salmon on rack.
Cover and smoke, adding extra woodchips if required, until cooked through (15-20mins).
While the salmon is cooking, peel and crush the potatoes and add peas which were cooked earlier.
For the lemon and chive cream dressing, whisk all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.
When salmon has finished cooking, remove from heat and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, coarsely flake flesh.
Combine herbs and frisée, crushed potato mixture and salmon.
Drizzle lemon and chive dressing over salad, season to taste, gently toss to combine and serve.
This recipe is a really tasty and flavoursome combo of delicate smoked fish, buttery potatoes, fresh herbs and creamy lemon dressing - perfect for a cruisy weekend lunch with a bottle of Chardonnay.