If you’re having guests over for lunch or dinner this long weekend and want to enjoy most of your time with them during their visit, chill out and prepare the meal in advance.
I’m talking about serving a cold meal that’s rich in colour and flavour, and perfect for late summer. Today’s recipes fit that theme and the main dish is salmon fillets.
Preparing the fish is easy. Set it on a baking pan, drizzle and sprinkle with flavourings, cover and bake until just cooked through.
As noted in a recent story, to determine whether the salmon is cooked, the fish will feel slightly firm. Too soft means it’s not cooked through, too firm and it’s overcooked. When cooked, the fish will also start to separate slightly into flakes and a white protein will seep out from the flakes.
When cooked, the salmon is then cooled to room temperature, transferred to a serving platter, covered and refrigerated until ready to serve with the flavourful sauce, chimichurri mayo. The sauce can also be readied ahead of time. Blend the mayonnaise with the ingredients used in chimichurri sauce, an Argentine-style mixture, such as fresh herbs, garlic and tart and spicy flavours.
I decided to accompany the salmon with two salads, a more filling, starch-based one, and a light and refreshing one with fruit and a crisp vegetable.
The starch-based one sees orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, cooked, cooled and combined with later-summer vegetables, torn basil leaves, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It’s a nice combination that will nestle up nicely alongside the salmon when set on dinner plates.
So will my other salad, in which wedges of plum, pieces of cantaloupe and sliced cucumber are tossed with bright-tasting mint, tangy feta and citrus juice.
You could also serve this three-dish meal with baby mixed salad greens, toss with a simple vinaigrette, and some flaky rolls or baguette served with butter, of course. For dessert, pick up a few pints of local berries and serve them with good vanilla ice cream.
Baked Chilled Salmon with Chimichurri Mayo
You can cook and cool the salmon, and make the sauce several hours before serving. Keep both refrigerated until needed.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 to 18 minutes
Makes: Eight servings
For the mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh mint or Italian parsley leaves
1 large garlic clove, sliced
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
For the fish
8 (5- to 6-oz.) salmon fillets, such as sockeye, steelhead or coho
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and white pepper to taste
• lime slices and cilantro, mint or parsley sprigs for garnish
To make mayo, place its ingredients in a food processor or in the cup that came with your immersion (hand) blender and pulse until smooth. Spoon mayo into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.
For the fish, preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set on the salmon, skin-side down. Combine juices and oil for the salmon in a small bowl. Brush this mixture on the fish and season with salt and pepper. Tent fish with foil and bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until cooked.
Cool salmon to room temperature. Arrange fish on a platter, wrap and refrigerate. Chill salmon at least two hours, before garnishing with lime slices and your desired herb sprigs and serving with the sauce.
Orzo Salad with Vegetables, Basil and Parmesan
The orzo used in this recipe is a rice-shaped pasta sold at most supermarkets.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: Eight minutes
Makes: Eight servings
1 2/3 cups orzo
3/4 to 1 cup grated zucchini
3/4 to 1 cup grated carrot
3/4 to 1 cup fresh corn kernels (see Note)
20 to 24 small cherry tomatoes, each halved
16 to 20 small fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cook orzo in a generous amount boiling, lightly salted water until just tender, about seven to eight minutes. Drain orzo well, cool in cold water, drain well again, then place in a salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate salad until needed. Gently toss again before serving.
Note: One shucked, medium to large cob of corn should yield the amount needed here. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the kernels off the cob.
Plum, Melon and Cucumber Salad
This colourful salad combines light and refreshing fruit and vegetables with tangy cheese, vibrant mint and spicy black pepper.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: None
Makes: Eight servings
5 small to medium red or purple plums
1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 1/2 to 2 cups peeled cantaloupe, scooped into small balls or cubed
150 grams feta cheese, broken into small pieces
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
3 Tbsp orange juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cut each plum in half, following as closely along either side of the pit as you can. Now cut each half-plum into small wedges and set in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, gently toss to combine and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
