This is my kind of Caesar. It’s classic in that it includes romaine, Parmesan, croutons, and an amazing Caesar dressing. But I’m embellishing to also make it what I classically want in a meal salad—plenty of complementary goodies (here, avocado, cucumber, radishes, and onion) and a hunk (or in this case, hunks) of toothsome protein (here, perfectly poached salmon). This ticks all those boxes and more.
Total time:0 Minutes
Serves 2
- 1 head romaine lettuce, trimmed and cut or torn into bite-sized pieces (you should have 7 to 8 cups)
- 1 cup croutons
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced, or 1/2 Persian-style cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 6 tablespoons Caesar Salad Dressing, homemade or store-bought, or more to taste
- 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
- 1 small or 1/2 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- 10 to 12 ounces poached (recipe below) or other cooked salmon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, croutons, radishes, cucumber, onion, and dressing. Add more dressing to taste. Arrange the salad on plates or a platter and top with the cheese and avocado. Break up the salmon and arrange it on top. Sprinkle with the chopped dill and serve, passing the pepper grinder at the table.
Poached Salmon
Poaching is of my favorite ways to cook salmon. It’s simple, easy, and a great way to let the clean flavors of a good piece of any fish shine. And because poaching is a wet cooking method, it’s guaranteed to result in tender, moist, succulence every time. (Learn more about poaching here.)
Makes 8 to 12 ounces
1 lemon
3/4 cup vegetable broth
8 peppercorns
8 to 12 ounces salmon fillets, about 3/4-inch thick
Use a vegetable peeler to cut the zest from the lemon in thick shaves (set aside the remaining lemon for another use—perhaps Caesar Dressing).
In a skillet or saucepan just large enough to hold the salmon in a single layer, combine the lemon zest, broth, peppercorns, and 3/4 cup water. Heat on medium-low to a gentle simmer. Add the salmon and adjust the heat to maintain barely a simmer. Cover and cook until the salmon is barely cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through if the salmon isn’t fully covered by the liquid.
Use a slotted spatula to transfer the salmon to a plate. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. (If serving room temperature, set aside to cool to room temperature. If serving later or chilled, set aside to cool to room temperature, then cover and set aside in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
