Super Summer Salmon Bowl
What’s inside this Salmon Bowl?
Roasted cauliflower, avocado, marinated cucumber, radish salad, cilantro-pepita pesto, all topped with a soy-tahini drizzle! Easy-to-make and packed with feel-good foods are what make this a perfect pack-up meal for picnics, beach outings and even backyard getaways!
This copycat recipe was inspired by the newly launched and popular, Kvarøy Arctic West Coast Salmon Bowl at Pacific Catch restaurants in Northern California. If you can’t order directly from them — this recipe can help satisfy those cravings!
Fun Fact about Picnics
During the Victorian era, picnics were very important social occasions. They offered the rare opportunity for people to gather outdoors and spend time together. They were often quite elaborate. A picnic for twenty people might have featured cold salmon, lamb, veal, chicken, ham, pigeon pie, sandwiches, fruit, a selection of cheeses, and a variety of baked goods. The modern-day picnic is much less complicated. In fact, you have heard the phrase “it’s a picnic”. Which means “it’s easy!"
Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds of Kvarøy Arctic Salmon center cut fillet, Skin on, pin bones removed and cut into 4 6-ounce pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
One head of fresh cauliflower, cut into flowerettes, tossed in olive oil and roasted at 400 degrees F. until soft and brown
2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 cups mixed greens
2 watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pea sprouts
2 avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
2 cups brown-rice quinoa blend, cooked tender and cooled
1/4 cup raw pepitas (Pumpkin seeds), toasted lightly
2 tbs green onion, thinly sliced
Cilantro-Pepita Pesto (recipe to follow)
Soy-Tahini Dressing (recipe to follow)
DIRECTIONS
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the hot pan and add the salmon, fillet side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning when perfectly golden then cooking skin side down until done to your taste. About five more minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the cucumber with the rice wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and allow to rest at room temperature while the salmon is cooking. These can be made up to two days ahead.
To build the salad:
Divide the lettuce between four portable containers. Add equal amounts of marinated cucumber, watermelon radish, pea sprouts, avocado and brown rice/quinoa blend to the containers. Place a cooked salmon fillet to the side of each salad. Place the lid on each salad and you are ready to roll! Pack the green onion, pepitas and dressings in separate portable containers!
To serve:
Once you arrive at your picnic- Remove the lids of your containers. Sprinkle the salads with green onions and the extra pepitas. Pass the pesto and the dressing separately for each person to dress their bowls!
Cilantro-Pepita Pesto
⅓ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 cup packed cilantro (mostly leaves)
2 teaspoons seeded and roughly chopped jalapeño
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Lightly toast the pepitas in a small pan over medium-low heat for a few minutes, tossing frequently, until fragrant. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl to cool. In a food processor, combine the cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, salt and cooled pepitas. While running the food processor, drizzle in the olive oil. Stop processing once the pesto is well blended.
Soy Tahini Dressing
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
DIRECTIONS
Blend all ingredients in a blender till smooth. Add more water to thin the dressing if you prefer a thinner texture. It will thicken in the fridge, so you can also add water to thin as needed. Dressing will keep for 5 to 6 days, refrigerated.