If you have a garden and planted cucumbers, you probably have an abundance of the fruit right about now. If you don’t plant a garden or didn’t plant cucumbers, they are plentiful & cheap in the grocery store, at farmer’s markets, and at produce stands. Our salmon from the community supported fishery is once again being delivered, so we are back to eating this fish weekly, in delicious new recipes. Salmon & cucumbers pair well with each other in this light, refreshing, & summery dish. The cucumber-dill salad is reminiscent of an old fashioned creamy cucumber salad. This updated version of the salad uses plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. The flavor of it is brightened with the addition of some orange zest and cayenne pepper. It takes a bit of time to sweat the cucumber, but the results are worth that hour! Sweating the cucumber slices with salt allows the slices to release their excess water and ensures that the salad is creamy, not watery. The salmon, lightly seasoned with turmeric, salt & pepper, is slow-roasted then served over the cucumber salad. This dish is perfect for these hot & humid days of August!
Salmon with Cucumber-Dill Salad
Salmon with Cucumber-Dill Salad (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Cucumber Salad:
- 1 cucumber (~ 1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- freshly ground black pepper
Salmon:
- 1-1/2 pounds salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Halve the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds, leaving the skin intact. Cut each half of the cucumber in half and thinly slice it. Mix the cucumber slices with the tablespoon of salt in a colander. Set the colander in the sink for about 1 hour to drain.
Sweat the cucumber slices.
After an hour, rinse the cucumbers with cold, running water. Press down on them to extract as much liquid as possible, then pat them dry. Toss the cucumbers with the yogurt, dill, sugar, orange zest, and cayenne, then season the salad with pepper, to taste.
Mix together the cucumber salad.
Preheat the oven to 275º F. Cut the salmon into 4 equal squares of fish. Lightly sprinkle the salmon all over with a pinch of turmeric and rub it in slightly to coat the pieces evenly. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place them on a very lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast the salmon, turning the pieces carefully with a spatula after about 10 minutes, until they are just cooked through, about 25 minutes in all. Remove the skin from the salmon pieces.
Season the salmon.
To serve, divide the cucumbers between 4 plates, top each plate with a piece of salmon and garnish with additional dill.
Serve the salmon over the cucumber salad.
Stay cool as a cucumber! ~Linda
Salmon with Cucumber-Dill Salad (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Cucumber Salad:
- 1 cucumber (~ 1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- freshly ground black pepper
Salmon:
- 1-1/2 pounds salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Halve the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds, leaving the skin intact. Cut each half of the cucumber in half and thinly slice it. Mix the cucumber slices with the tablespoon of salt in a colander. Set the colander in the sink for about 1 hour to drain.
After an hour, rinse the cucumbers with cold, running water. Press down on them to extract as much liquid as possible, then pat them dry. Toss the cucumbers with the yogurt, dill, sugar, orange zest, and cayenne, then season the salad with pepper, to taste.
Preheat the oven to 275º F. Cut the salmon into 4 equal squares of fish. Lightly sprinkle the salmon all over with a pinch of turmeric and rub it in slightly to coat the pieces evenly. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place them on a very lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast the salmon, turning the pieces carefully with a spatula after about 10 minutes, until they are just cooked through, about 25 minutes in all. Remove the skin from the salmon pieces. To serve, divide the cucumbers between 4 plates, top each plate with a piece of salmon and garnish with additional dill.