How to make hot smoked salmon salad with pickled radishes and dill and sour cream dressing
When it's too hot to cook, take out the cooking bit and go for something that's already done for you. No, we don't mean a takeaway...
When it’s hot – really hot – cooking is the last thing you want to do.
Summer has arrived and it’s time to google “air conditioned restaurants” or plan a trip to the seaside. If those options fail, then make something that doesn’t need so much as a pre-heated the oven.
Hot smoked salmon is ideal because the cooking has been done. Remove the skin and the grey bit underneath and you’re ready to go. Pickled radishes require only minutes to bring the liquid up to the boil, but we’re talking minutes only.
The dressing is made with sour cream, horseradish sauce and heaps of dill – cooling and comforting on a day when what you really crave is another fan.
Hot smoked salmon salad with pickled radishes and dill and sour cream dressing
Serves 2-3 as a main dish salad
300g hot smoked salmon fillet, skin removed
150g mixed greens
pea shoots (optional)
Dressing
150g sour cream
1-2 Tbsp horseradish sauce
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped dill
Salt and pepper
Pickled radishes
1 bunch breakfast radishes, about 150g
2 sprigs dill
150ml rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
Clean the radishes and trim off some of the stem. Save the leaves – if you have them – to add to your salad mix. Halve the radishes if large and place them and the dill in a clean glass jar. Heat the remaining ingredients on the stove and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the radishes. Close the jar and refrigerate until ready to use. The radishes should be made several hours before serving or even the day before, to allow the flavours to marry.
To make the dressing, whisk together the ingredients, starting with one tablespoon of the horseradish sauce. Taste, season with salt and pepper and add more horseradish if you desire more heat.
Wash the greens and place them on a platter. Flake the salmon on top along with some of the radishes. Garnish with pea shoots, if using, and toss with some of the dressing.
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