Variations of this simple Salad are my mainstay meal during the summer months (that in Souther California extend from spring through fall. Tonight I made the Salmon Variation. People often say to me 'Stephen your such a good cook' my answer 'I'm not that good, it's just that simple'
Ingredients:
Salmon
Steamed Brown Rice
Greens (any kind will do, tonight I used baby spinach)
Italian Squash
Portobello Mushrooms
Pineapple
Roma Tomatoes
Yellow Onion
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce
Balsamic Vinny
Lime Juice
Sea Salt
Coarse Ground Pepper
Parsley Flakes
Brown Rice:
Start the rice first since it takes the longest
Salmon:
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley flake and set it in the fridge to marinate.
Vegetables:
Rinse and cut the veggies. With the Italian Squash I like to quarter it from head to toe splitting it in half then quarters. I used to cut it more like boards, which also works but is more prone to over grilling and limpness.
With the Pineapple I peal it, of course, and cut it into wheels but I like to cut the wheels in half as well so they fit better on the plate. Leave the core in as they get tender enough to eat once cooked and if you whittle too much off the piece it'll fall through the cracks of your grill.
Tomatoes can be Halved or left whole, the reason I like Roma's is for the same reason you want them for salsa's _ more meat and less water, so the hold their composure better on the grill.
With the onion peal quarter and skewer to hold it together.
Portobello just need to be cleaned, some folks remove the stem, I just leave it. When marinating the under side of the cap with the gills will absorb most of the marinade so let gravity to the work.
Place as much of the veggies as will fit into a given plastic container with a lid. Usually I'll keep the all the 'families' together but it's not really that important, if you are having several friends over and making a lot you'd be surprised at just how many containers you'll use.
Marinate in equal parts (just drizzle and eyeball it!) Olive Oil, Balsamic, Soy Sauce. (If you are a cheapskate like I am once you've marinated your veggies and put them on the grill take the remaining sauce to use as 'mopping' sauce on the veggies as they grill or save to use as either a dressing or for you next grill if it's less than a week away. Freeze it if it's more than a week _ as long as it hasn't touched any raw meat you're safe)
Pre Heat and scrape down your grill. Once Hot place everything on the grill. Grilling on high heat the fish will take about 6 minutes, with the Salmon place the skin side on the grill and leave the other side up. You always know it's done when the white fats appear on the top of the Salmon.
With the veggies let the sit on the grill in one place long enough to get some good grill marks. Some folks get all fancy with this, I figure if it gets some kind of dark lines going in then it will look better than no lines and leave it at that. With the Mushrooms place the cap part on the grill and the gills up. pour in some of the extra marinate into the 'cup' you won't need to flip the Mushroom so it's on cruise control until you are done.
Depending on how tender you like thing after about 3 minutes you should move all the veggies around (except the mushroom). The tomatoes will go the fastest so pull them once the char on a side and soften but before they become completely crushed. The skewered onions should also char up. since my skewer doesn't fit in any plastic container I have I usually don't bother marinating it so it'll tend to char up faster than the other stuff.
I pull the fist first and let it rest then pile over all the veggies to keep things warm and move to the kitchen for plating up. Everything should be warm enough to soften the greens but not so hot as to cook them outright. The idea is a warm salad for a hot summer night.
On a bed of greens I put a scoop of the brown rice along with an assortment of the veggies surrounding the gorgeous piece of Salmon. There are no rules cause it always looks amazing!
Additionally since its already a salad these dishes turn into the most amazing lunches the following day and you'll make you coworkers so jealous. So if you love grilling and looking for simple ways to eat super healthy and delicious this summer have a grilled warm salad, you won't be disappointed.
