Written by Think Cool, Crisp and Tasty about this main dish salad. Travels well in individual servings or makes a pretty party salad. This recipe is written for two generous individual portions.
Cool and Tasty for Summer
Pasta of choice (bowties look pretty, elbows travel better)
Salmon – 3 oz per person, cooked and flaked
celery 1/4 C chopped
red onion, 1/4 C chopped
cucumber, approx 1/2 C, sliced thin
peas, 1/8 C (*optional)
lettuce, or napa cabbage
black olives (about 4 per person – quartered)
Baste of soy, sugar & pepper
Dressing of choice – but we suggest the Creamy Cucumber Dressing – Ranch works well also.
To make the salad -
Set your pasta water boiling. Slice the cucumber thinly (about 1/3 C sliced per salad serving) and place in ice water to “crisp up” and mix up your baste for the salmon fillets. Boil your favorite bite size pasta – you want about a generous cup of cooked pasta per portion or about 2.5-3 C for a bowl. Drain and set aside. While it boiling – take your salmon fillets, brush with mix of: 1/3 C soy, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 grinds of pepper – cook (broil, pan, bake or bbq) until just done – flake and set aside You can substitute Canned salmon or smoked salmon if you prefer.
Chop celery, red onion to make 1/2 C, add 1/3 C of peas (I usually use frozen unless I have fresh peas from the garden) Snap or Snow peas are a great fresh addition if available and toss with the pasta when cool.
Tear your choice of greens, lettuce, nappa cabbage, or a mix of green
Quarter the black olives.
To assemble the salad – layer each container or one large bowl with the lettuce or greens of choice
Next layer is the pasta – mixed with the peas, celery, red onion – spread over the lettuce
Next layer is the sliced cucumbers, drain well and layer over the pasta
Then take the flaked salmon and layer over the cucumber layer and top with a few black olives.
Package for travel and take the dressing on the side. Or serve in a pretty glass bowl and dressing in cruet – both need to be refrigerated until ready to serve.
