Spicy Salmon Summer Salad
At first glance, this spicy salmon recipe seems almost too simple — gently-cooked salmon filets, piled atop a bed of greens, and served with a 3-ingredient lime vinaigrette. But the spice rub on the salmon, a combination of paprika, cayenne, and cumin, adds a subtle spicy note. And the dressing, with its touch of maple syrup, is just a tad sweet. Put it all together and you have my new favorite one-dish spicy salmon recipe for summer.
This recipe comes from the creator of the MIND diet
This gem of a recipe comes from the book Diet for The MIND, by Dr. Martha Clare Morris and Laura Morris. I was honored to host Dr. Morris, the Rush University researcher who created the MIND diet, at a special cooking class last month. This Spicy Salmon Summer Salad was the centerpiece of our menu of MIND-ful foods and all the students loved it. Learn more about our cooking class and see the full menu here: Cooking for the MIND with Dr. Martha Clare Morris.
For our cooking class, I adapted the recipe slightly to make it easier to feed a crowd. Instead of using individual filets, as you would for a quick, weeknight supper, we slow-roasted a side of salmon and served it atop a platter of greens.
Slow-roasting preserves salmon’s delicate healthy fats
Low-temperature slow-roasting creates a beautifully tender, evenly-cooked piece of fish. It’s also one of the best cooking methods to retain its brain healthy nutrients. (Steaming, braising, and cooking sous vide are others.) Fish is exposed to high heat, such as when grilled, fried, pan-seared, and broiled, it loses up to half of its vitamin D and up to 85% of its healthful omega-3s.
Lime vinaigrette — a recipe to know by heart
The lime vinaigrette is one to learn by heart. Swap in freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice for the lime and you’ve got a zippy dressing for salads, chicken, fish, and grilled vegetables. It’s also perfect drizzled on grain salads.
The MIND diet study includes at least one fish meal each week
Dr. Morris’ research showed that eating one fish meal each week is part of a brain healthy diet that fends off Alzheimer’s. “But if you love fish, feel free to eat more of it,” she says. Wild-caught salmon provides lean protein, brain-friendly omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, and astaxanthin.
BHK student Sylvia did a fantastic job on this salmon!
Astaxanthin gives salmon its rosy hue and many health benefits
Astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant from the carotenoid family, gives salmon its pink-orange hue. It’s thought to work synergistically with the omega-3s in salmon to protect the brain and nervous system from inflammation. Astaxanthin has been shown to have a favorable impact on blood cholesterol — lowering the bad (LDL) and enhancing the good (HDL). And, astaxanthin is being studied for its ability to help prevent skin damage. This small but intriguing study showed that adding astaxanthin to the diet yielded significantly more elastic skin after just 12 weeks.
When purchasing salmon, look for wild-caught salmon from Alaska for a healthier fat profile.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 4 4-ounce boneless skin-on salmon filet
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups baby greens (arugula,spinach, romaine)
- 1 head Bibb lettuce lightly chopped
- 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
- 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Ingredients
For the salad:
For the dressing:
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- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Gently rub the spice mixture onto the flesh side of the salmon filets.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Place the fillets skin-side up in the pan. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip the fillets.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until just cooked through.
- In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, lettuce, corn, and tomatoes. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
- Evenly divide the salad among four plates. Top each with a salmon filet and a few avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
• To make this dish with a side of salmon that serves 6, use a slow roasting technique. Preheat the oven to 225ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with olive oil. Rub the salmon with the spice mix, and place it, skin-side down, on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until just cooked through. (If using an instant thermometer, check the salmon after 20 minutes: 115ºF to 125ºF is medium-rare to medium.) Add more salad ingredients to make enough for 6.
• Instead of serving the salmon on a bed of greens, serve on a bed of grains. Cook 1 cup quinoa, forbidden rice, brown rice, farro or other whole grain in 2 ½ cups water until done. You should have about 2 ½ to 3 cups cooked grains. Toss the grains with the dressing while still warm. Fold in corn, tomatoes, sturdy greens such as kale or arugula, and top with the salmon and avocado.
• Low-temperature slow-roasting creates a beautifully tender, evenly cooked piece of fish. It’s also one of the best cooking methods to retain its brain healthy nutrients. (Steaming, braising, and cooking sous vide are others.) When fish is exposed to high heat, such as when grilled, fried, pan-seared, and broiled, it loses up to half of its vitamin D and up to 85% of its healthful omega-3s.
• Cumin, cayenne and paprika give this salmon great flavor. But theses spices are also thought to possess anti-inflammatory properties. Use them liberally in your cooking.
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