Grilled Salmon and Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
The nasturtium seeds I tucked into my patio flower pots on a whim early this spring have grown tall and proud and are absolutely taking over the entire planter, edging out the snapdragons, potato vines and coleus.
I don’t mind because soon their lovely red, pink and orange blossoms will cascade almost all the way to the ground and they seem hearty enough to withstand nibbling puppies and the occasional benign negligence that sets in on my behalf as summer picks up.
In a day, summer arrived, and we find ourselves seeking shelter from the heat at friend’s pools and in the cool shade of mountain trails whenever possible.
My theme for the summer is ‘keep it simple.’ In years past, complicated chore and reading charts, summer to-do lists with 25 items to get through and endless playdates, camps and activities ruled our days. I’m sure it has something to do with my kids getting a little older or maybe its just me, but I’ve surrendered the rigid plans. The same goes for meal plans and menus.
Summer looks like kids sleeping in late and long walks with the dogs before it gets hot. Coffee on the patio in the morning and beers at sunset. In between, of course, all the regular life stuff never stops no matter how desperately you try and slow it down, but that’s ok.
Cooking hasn’t escaped my efforts to simplify but I’ve found that months of driving my kids around to various activities every evening actually has me craving the rhythms of preparing a meal. We’ve eaten countless sandwiches in the car while driving to every corner of the Valley the last few months. The joy of being at home with time to chop and stir and create feels like a gift.
That doesn’t mean I want to spend hours in the kitchen or even more likely, hours cleaning up. I just want something delicious and fresh. Fussy, complicated or requiring a last minute trip to the store is completely out of the question. This easy salmon recipe is lovely because the rub is just a few ingredients I would almost bet you have sitting in your spice drawer or pantry right now. I prefer to grill my fish, but this recipe is easy to adapt to the oven and turns out lovely either way you prepare it. The shaved Brussel sprout salad is a crunchy bright addition to the meal and goes so well with the rich salmon. I make the dressing right in the bowl I’m planning to serve the salad in and throw it all together a little ahead of time so the sprouts have time to soak up all that lemony flavor. Dinner is fast and easy but still feels a little special and perfect for these long summer days.
Grilled Salmon with Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
2 pounds salmon fillets
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preheat grill to a medium heat OR preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, place the salmon skin-side down. Pat dry with a paper towel and inspect the fish for any small bones. Remove if you see any and then lightly drizzle the olive oil over the fillets. Liberally coat the salmon with the seasoning mixture and gently pat the spices into the fish so a nice crust forms on the fish.
Either grill salmon for 10-15 minutes, skin side down on the grill or bake on the center rack of the oven for about 13 to 15 minutes. Either way you decide to cook the salmon, it’s done when you can easily use a fork to flake the fish in the center of the fillet. Remove from heat and allow to rest for three or four minutes before cutting into pieces and serving alongside the shaved Brussel sprout salad.
Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
12-ounce bag prepared Brussel sprout salad kit (do not add the dressing and toppings, just use the vegetables)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash of smoked paprika
Dash of cumin
2 tablespoons minced chives
In a large bowl combine the olive oil, tahini, lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Whisk until smooth and combined. Simply open the bag of prepared salad and add to the bowl. Mix to combine. Sprinkle with fresh chives and a sprinkle of coarse salt just before serving.