Scottish Salmon Summer Salad
A beauty of a salad with flavors and textures to match. Creamy cheese, chewy oats, crisp veggies and velvety salmon!
scottish smoked salmon summer salad
12 slices thinly sliced smoked salmon
3 - 4 cups shredded fresh greens (romaine lettuce, spinach, chard, etc.)
3 large radishes, thinly sliced
5 green onions, cut in 1/2 inch pieces, diagonally
1/3 thinly sliced red onion
1/2 each red and green bell pepper, cut lengthwise in thin strips
1/2 large English cucumber cut in thin strips, 2 inches long
fresh Crowdie Cheese crumbled (recipe below or view The Wee Larder at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_IT2FPpDAk)
(In stead of Crowdie Cheese, you can use 1 cup large curd full-fat cottage cheese, blended until smooth in food processer and add 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, tarragon, thyme, salt to taste and coarsely ground black pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Chill several hours.)
For Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Apple Cider or Red Wine Vinegar
1 - 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (1 teaspoon dried dill)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Place the shredded lettuce along the center of a long rectangular platter, then sprinkle the other salad items over the top.
-Roll and place the pieces of smoked salmon along one long side of the platter, then spoon the “crowdie cheese” along the other long edge of the platter. (If using cottage cheese, mix cottage cheese in food processor until broken down and smooth, Add 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, tarragon and thyme. Add salt to taste and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk in 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Mix well together. Chill cheese for several hours or overnight before use.)
-FOR THE DRESSING: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey and fresh chopped dill in a small jug and whisk together. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
-Chill the salad for 30 minutes, Drizzle the dressing over the salmon and the salad items and serve.
-Serves 6 - 8
Serve salad with Scottish Oat Bannocks if desired (recipe below). Line one long edge of salad with cooked bannocks or serve them in a basket alongside the salad.
Scottish Oat Bannocks:
1 egg
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground Oatmeal - about 3 cups or as much as is required to make a thick pancake batter consistency.
-Beat the egg and whisk together with the milk. Stir in the baking soda, salt and enough oatmeal to create a batter that is of a droppable consistency.
-Rub some butter over a hot cast iron pan or other non stick pan. Keep the heat at a medium heat and drop some batter on the skillet to form small rounds - about 2 tablespoons batter per bannock.
-After a few minutes, when bubbles start to form on the top and they are firming up, flip over and cook the other side, about 3 minutes per side.
-When cooked place on a plate and repeat with the others, cover with a dishcloth to keep them warm and serve immediately with the salad.
-Bannocks are best served fresh but you can make and chill them a day ahead. Warm them in the toaster of under the broiler to reheat before serving.
A unique, wonderfully refreshing and hearty summer salad - the Scottish way!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
*Ground oatmeal is difficult to find in US stores. You can simply buy rolled or steel cut oats and process them in the food processor until finely ground to almost a flour consistency. They will not be as smooth as a wheat flour, but that is fine.
*This basic salad works well as the basic recipe for salads containing other veggies - anything that goes well with smoked salmon. Be creative!
*You can be flexible with the amounts of greens, salad ingredients and cheese you use. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 2-3 ounces of salmon per person. You can also vary the amount of mustard and honey in the dressing depending on taste.
