Baby Greens with Pan-Seared Salmon

By Chef Amanda DeLaura

Is anyone else constantly disappointed in restaurant salads? After comparing and contrasting my favorite salads, I have decided there are five elements of any great salad.

1. A great salad always has texture (think croutons, nuts, wontons, etc)
2. A great salad always has a fatty substance (think cheese, avocado, or creamy dressing)
3. A great salad always has fruit (both dried and/or fresh to get the job done)
4. A great salad always has fresh herbs (the more the merrier)
5. And last but not least, a great salad always has a bomb dressing.  It doesn’t matter if the dressing has three ingredients or ten ingredients, it just has to be great!

Next time you make a salad or eat a salad, think about the elements of the salad that are making it great (or not great). But till then, try this salad and if you feel like giving yourself a special treat, purchase some microgreens from David's boys and add them to this salad. As always, buon appetito!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 six-ounce salmon fillets

2 Tbsp Gomashio (salt, sesame & seaweed mixture)

3 handfuls of mixed baby greens

1/2 cup cooked quinoa, I prefer black quinoa, for taste, texture and aesthetics

1 blood orange, peeled and sliced into rounds

2 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds 2 Tbsp feta, crumbled

1-2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar, as needed

1-2 Tbsp olive oil, as needed

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Scallions, shallots, chives, or herbs, as desired

Directions:

1. To prepare the salmon, pat both filets dry with a paper towel. Pour the desired amount of Gomashio into a shallow bowl and dip the flesh side of salmon into the seasoning. Ensure the entire flesh side of the fillet is coated in seasoning. Preheat a frying pan over medium-high heat. And add 1 Tbsp of olive oil (or avocado oil). Place salmon fillets flesh side down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sesame seeds are browned and crispy. Remove from heat and let cool for 3 minutes.
2. To assemble the salad, toss the greens, quinoa, and herbs/shallots with vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Portion onto two plates and add the orange slices and feta. Top each salad with the salmon fillet and garnish with pumpkin seeds. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and chunky Malden salt. Dive in with a fork and enjoy!