Life is so good right now. Busy and good. Work, grad school, applying for jobs for next year, graduation, working out, and so much else--it's all wonderful. Truly. I have absolutely nothing in the world to complain about.
So when I had a free night last week, I jumped on the chance to get in the kitchen and try out this recipe from my sweet friend Annie...with one twist. I wanted to use blackberries instead of blueberries.
I've been on a blackberry kick recently, which is very new for me. Honestly, if you'd asked me about blackberries last year I would've told you they were one of my least favorites. But this year, I'm all about them...and it's not even May. I'm going to call it now, readers--lots and lots of blackberry recipes this summer. Get ready. Sweet, savory, and liquid, I'm going to use all. the. blackberries.
Good thing they work so well with bourbon. Hey, a girl's got to have something to do with all her new found free time...
Rich salmon pairs perfectly with sweet, juicy blackberries and creamy, tangy goat cheese in this healthy salad that's sure to become a spring and summer favorite.
Grilled Salmon Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese
slightly adapted from Annie's Eats
Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil, plus more for brushing grill and baguette
1 1/2 TBSP honey
12 oz. blackberries (2 6-oz. clamshells)
3 TBSP white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 salmon fillets (5-6 oz. each)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-thick slabs
1 demi baguette, thinly sliced on the bias
6-8 c. mixed salad greens
3 oz. honeyed goat cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 1/4 c. olive oil, honey, and 6 oz. blackberries. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries begin to release their juices, 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender or small bowl of a food processor, puree until smooth. Run through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Reserve 3 TBSP of the mixture for the salmon, then whisk white wine vinegar into remaining blackberry mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Brush the skinless side of the salmon fillets with reserved blackberry sauce. Brush both sides of the onion slabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. When the grill or grill pan is heated, brush with additional olive oil. Put the salmon pieces down with the skin side on the bottom. Place the onion slabs on the grill. Cook salmon until skin is crisp and darkened, then carefully flip to put glaze side down. Flip onions. Cook until the glazed side of the salmon is blackened and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish registers 135 F. Remove and set aside to rest.
4. While the salmon is cooking, prepare the remaining items for the grill. Lightly brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Once the salmon and onion have been removed from the grill, place the baguette slices on the grill in one layer. Grill, flipping once, until both sides are browned. Remove and coarsely chopped for croutons. Chop the onions, as well.
5. Divide the greens among four plates. Top each with equal amounts of the remaining blackberries, grilled onions, goat cheese, salmon, and baguette croutons. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
So when I had a free night last week, I jumped on the chance to get in the kitchen and try out this recipe from my sweet friend Annie...with one twist. I wanted to use blackberries instead of blueberries.
I've been on a blackberry kick recently, which is very new for me. Honestly, if you'd asked me about blackberries last year I would've told you they were one of my least favorites. But this year, I'm all about them...and it's not even May. I'm going to call it now, readers--lots and lots of blackberry recipes this summer. Get ready. Sweet, savory, and liquid, I'm going to use all. the. blackberries.
Good thing they work so well with bourbon. Hey, a girl's got to have something to do with all her new found free time...
Rich salmon pairs perfectly with sweet, juicy blackberries and creamy, tangy goat cheese in this healthy salad that's sure to become a spring and summer favorite.
Grilled Salmon Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette and Goat Cheese
slightly adapted from Annie's Eats
Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil, plus more for brushing grill and baguette
1 1/2 TBSP honey
12 oz. blackberries (2 6-oz. clamshells)
3 TBSP white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 salmon fillets (5-6 oz. each)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-thick slabs
1 demi baguette, thinly sliced on the bias
6-8 c. mixed salad greens
3 oz. honeyed goat cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 1/4 c. olive oil, honey, and 6 oz. blackberries. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries begin to release their juices, 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender or small bowl of a food processor, puree until smooth. Run through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Reserve 3 TBSP of the mixture for the salmon, then whisk white wine vinegar into remaining blackberry mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Brush the skinless side of the salmon fillets with reserved blackberry sauce. Brush both sides of the onion slabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. When the grill or grill pan is heated, brush with additional olive oil. Put the salmon pieces down with the skin side on the bottom. Place the onion slabs on the grill. Cook salmon until skin is crisp and darkened, then carefully flip to put glaze side down. Flip onions. Cook until the glazed side of the salmon is blackened and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish registers 135 F. Remove and set aside to rest.
4. While the salmon is cooking, prepare the remaining items for the grill. Lightly brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Once the salmon and onion have been removed from the grill, place the baguette slices on the grill in one layer. Grill, flipping once, until both sides are browned. Remove and coarsely chopped for croutons. Chop the onions, as well.
5. Divide the greens among four plates. Top each with equal amounts of the remaining blackberries, grilled onions, goat cheese, salmon, and baguette croutons. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings