Wild Smoked Salmon Summer Salad

While we were tasting many classic and new flavors of the French cuisine, one scene caught my eyes in awe in the bistros: How salads are so popular and go much beyond the concept of romaine lettuce tossed with some garden vegetables with some predictable dressing on the side.

I tasted many interpretation of the well known Salade Niçoise, and was puzzled by how French ladies would take hours chatting and eating a Parisiénne Salad: something like a beautiful mountain of greens with little mounds of all sort of things to be mixed and seasoned. The slow motion of eating and working the salad to a different level of dish, while ingredients were mixed in each portion brought to the mouth, the long pauses to eat, the elegant way of flavoring it with no pressure from the waiter. Something like a scene from a movie. All of this caught my attention and inspired me to make more salads at home.

This is inspiration for a very nice lunch for the end of summer, but don't forget the French dijon mustard to bring the soul of French flavors to your salad.

Wild Smoked Salmon Salad

This is for two to three portions of salad.

Salad

12 ribbons, about 1/2 inch width, of wild nova smoked salmon
1/2 bulb of fennel, shaved
1 celery stalk, shaved
1 scallion (green onion), chopped
1 teaspoon whole grain dijon mustard
a few drops of fresh lemon juice (enough to season the salmon)
dill, sprinkled over salmon
6 cups spring mix salad

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon French dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped shallots or white parts of green onions
kosher salt to taste
Fresh chopped chives (optional)

Layer salad greens, fennel, and celery in a big bowl and put the salmon on top. Put half of the mustard in the middle of the plate. For the dressing mix all the ingredients and refrigerate for two hours before serving. Serve the dressing on the side. Enjoy it cold.