Printer friendly format - Main Course Salads

By Kim Sunée; Recipes by Georgia Downard

Main Course Salads

Lighten up your table and simplify this week’s menu with one-dish salad suppers.

It’s easy to go lighter this time of year with these flavorful salad basics. The sesame-ginger dressing below can be doubled and is delicious as a marinade for meat and fish. The wilted spinach salad would work just as well with chicken or steak, and, for a heartier version of Couscous Salad with Portobello Mushrooms, add grilled snapper, halibut, or ahi tuna. Pick up a baguette or breadsticks and splurge on your favorite ice cream for dessert . . . these are salads, after all.

WILTED SPINACH SALAD WITH SESAME-COATED SALMON

To save time, you can buy grated or julienned carrots from your grocer’s produce section or salad bar.

MAKES: 2 servings
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 7 minutes

2 (7- to 8-ounce) wild salmon fillets
Sesame-Ginger Dressing, divided (recipe below)*
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons white or black
sesame seeds (or a combination)
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 cups baby spinach leaves,
loosely packed
1 to 2 medium carrots, grated or julienned (about 1 cup)
1/2 cucumber, sliced and seeded (about 2/3 cup)

1. Drizzle salmon with 3 tablespoons Sesame-Ginger Dressing, coating both sides; season with salt. Coat each side with sesame seeds, gently pressing seeds into flesh.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, and cook 3 minutes, being careful not to burn seeds. Turn and cook on opposite side 4 more minutes or just until fish begins to flake with fork. Remove from heat.
3. Combine spinach and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining dressing, and toss to coat. Arrange on 2 plates. Top with salmon. Serve immediately. *To save time, you can substitute with your favorite store-bought dressing.

SESAME-GINGER DRESSING

MAKES: 1/2 cup
PREP: 5 minutes

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well blended.

NEXT PAGE: COUSCOUS SALAD WITH PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

photography: James Baigrie

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Couscous is a great base for quick meals: It’s delicious warm or at room temperature and blends beautifully with an array of ingredients. The grilled portobello mushrooms transform this salad from a side dish into a filling entrée. You can substitute grilled fish or meat.

MAKES: 6 servings
PREP: 25 minutes
COOK: 10 minutes

1 (10-ounce) box plain couscous
6 large portobello mushroom caps
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, minced and divided
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pint grape tomatoes
2/3 cup pitted and drained kalamata olives
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecan halves, toasted
1 cup finely crumbled cheese (such as feta, aged goat cheese, or ricotta)
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
6cups mixed greens (such as watercress, arugula, and frisée)
Garnishes: mint sprigs, dried tomatoes

1. Prepare couscous according to package directions.

2. Wipe mushroom caps clean with dampened paper towels. (Remove gills from underside with a spoon, if desired.) Drizzle with 1?4 cup oil, coating both sides, and season with 1 garlic clove, salt, and pepper. Transfer to heated grill pan or outdoor grill, and grill over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until cooked. Transfer to a plate, reserving juices.

3. Combine remaining minced garlic and lemon juice in a medium bowl; whisk in remaining 1?2 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Fluff couscous with a fork, and transfer to a large bowl. Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Add all but 2 tablespoons dressing to couscous, and toss to combine.

4. Toss mixed greens with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing in a separate large bowl; arrange greens around rim of 6 serving plates. Mound couscous mixture in center. Slice mushrooms diagonally, and arrange on top. Pour mushroom juices over salad, and garnish, if desired.