While the end of May is not technically Summer, it will certainly feel like it all this week for us! So, a summertime supper salad is on today’s menu!

We made a bunch of changes to the original recipe, more than we usually do, mainly to use ingredients we already had on hand. One of the beauties of this salad is being able to customize it for individual preferences. We used smoked salmon in place of grilled salmon and added cherry tomatoes and asparagus to the bounty of fruits and vegetables in the salad, which we grilled along with the other produce. The result was delicious! And being able to put it all together in about 30 minutes, gives us more time to enjoy the great Summer weather we are having!

Smoked Salmon Cobb Salad

Smoked Salmon Cobb Salad (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Active Time: 30 minutes, Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 pound smoked salmon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise
• 2 avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 pound asparagus spears, woody ends removed, cut into 1-1/2 inch lengths
• 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup fresh basil, torn
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

Prepping everything first is most efficient.

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium high. Put the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water.

Cook the eggs.

Bring the water to a boil, then remove it from the heat and let the eggs sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain the cooking water and let the eggs sit in ice cold water until they are cool. Peel, chop, and set aside the eggs.

Cool the eggs in ice water.

Make the dressing: Combine the lemon juice in the cup of a wand blender or in a small bowl with the vinegar, shallot, and tarragon. Blend or whisk the mixture to combine. Gradually blend in the olive oil until it is well combined. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Make the dressing.

Lightly brush the lettuce, avocados, and corn with olive oil. Toss the cherry tomato halves and asparagus with some olive oil and place them in a grill basket. Grill the fruits & veggies, turning, until well marked, about 2 minutes for the lettuce and avocados and 5 to 6 minutes for the corn. Stir the tomatoes and asparagus. Remove everything from the grill when done. Transfer the lettuce, avocados, and corn to a cutting board.

Grill the fruits & veggies.

Roughly chop the lettuce, discarding the core. Transfer it to a large platter. Add the basil and dill and toss. Cut the kernels off the corn and chop the avocado. Arrange the corn, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, salmon, tomatoes, asparagus, and avocados in rows over the salad.

Layer the salmon, fruits, and vegetables over the lettuce on the platter.

Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad . . .

. . . and serve.

Beautifully delicious!

Summertime salads for supper are perfect warm weather meals!  ~Linda

Smoked Salmon Cobb Salad (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Active Time: 30 minutes, Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 pound smoked salmon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise
• 2 avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 pound asparagus spears, woody ends removed, cut into 1-1/2 inch lengths
• 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup fresh basil, torn
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium high. Put the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then remove it from the heat and let the eggs sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain the cooking water and let the eggs sit in ice cold water until they are cool. Peel, chop, and set aside the eggs.

Make the dressing: Combine the lemon juice in the cup of a wand blender or in a small bowl with the vinegar, shallot, and tarragon. Blend or whisk the mixture to combine. Gradually blend in the olive oil until it is well combined. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Lightly brush the lettuce, avocados, and corn with olive oil. Toss the cherry tomato halves and asparagus with some olive oil and place them in a grill basket. Grill the fruits & veggies, turning, until well marked, about 2 minutes for the lettuce and avocados and 5 to 6 minutes for the corn. Stir the tomatoes and asparagus. Remove everything from the grill when done. Transfer the lettuce, avocados, and corn to a cutting board.

Roughly chop the lettuce, discarding the core. Transfer it to a large platter. Add the basil and dill and toss. Cut the kernels off the corn and chop the avocado. Arrange the corn, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, salmon, tomatoes, asparagus, and avocados in rows over the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.