Grilled Salmon Salad with Roasted Peppers and Mango Salsa
► by Executive Chef Christophe Poupardin of The Sandpiper
One of the most popular and longstanding items on The Sandpiper’s lunch menu is this grilled salmon salad.
— Photography: Kenneth Theysen
Like the Caesar, roti and local Bajan specialities on the card, it’s been tweaked over the years, but it’s always been a bestseller, says Executive Chef Christophe Poupardin who’s helmed the boutique resort’s beachside kitchen in Holetown since 2002.
“It’s fresh, it’s a bit alfresco and it’s quick and simple”, he says. You can buy marinated artichokes and roasted or grilled peppers in oil at the grocery store, or you can grill or roast your own. The vinaigrette works with any salad and the mango salsa is delicious with tortilla chips as a snack, so feel free to double (or triple!) the recipes for your next sunset happy hour or dinner at home.
You can use any fish to make this salad, notes Chef Poupardin, such as local mahi-mahi or red snapper. But while he features an abundance of local fish on his menus, salmon is widely available around the world, and might be easier to find after you've left the island. The pink colour of the fish also contrasts the peppers, lettuce and mango and makes for a beautiful presentation.
If you buy high-quality salmon and bring it to room temperature before grilling, it won’t need the full four minutes – especially when room temperature in Barbados is a nudge higher than most European or North American winters… Fortunately, this dish tastes like summer year-round.
Grilled Salmon Salad with Roasted Peppers and Mango Salsa
Serves 2
PRINT THIS RECIPE
Ingredients
Mango Salsa
1 mango, finely diced
2 tbsp. (30 g) finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp. (15 g) finely diced red onion
½-1 tsp. (3-5 g) finely diced chili pepper or red bell pepper, optional
½ tsp. (3 ml) olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
Vinaigrette
3 tbsp. (45 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp. (15 ml) white wine vinegar
½ tsp. (3 ml) Dijon mustard
⅛ tsp. (1 g) salt
⅛ tsp. (1 g) pepper
Grilled Salmon Salad
3 cups (225 g) mixed lettuces
Two 120-gram (4-oz.) salmon fillets
¼ tsp. (2 g) salt
1 ½ tbsp. (25 ml) cooking oil
1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cup (75 g) roasted pepper slices
3 artichoke hearts, cut in half
¼ cup (35 g) pickled red onion slices (see sidebar)
Combine all the ingredients for the mango salsa and divide between two mini Kilner jars or ramekins.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except the olive oil, then slowly whisk in the oil in a thin stream to emulsify.
Stack the artichoke halves and roasted peppers near the sides of each of two plates.
Top with the pickled red onion slices.
Place the cherry tomato halves nearby around the sides.
Combine the mixed leaves with half of the vinaigrette in a bowl and place in the middle of each plate.
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Season the salmon fillets with the ¼ tsp. salt and brush them with oil.
Grill the fish on each side for 2 minutes, or until golden and almost flaking.
Place on top of the salad greens and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
Serve with the mango salsa.
HOW TO DICE A MANGO
To dice a mango like a pro, cut the mango lengthwise into two big pieces (cutting around the pit and leaving the sides to snack on later). Use a spoon to scoop the flesh from each half. Slice the piece of mango flesh into three pieces horizontally carefully with a sharp knife and then each piece lengthwise into long sticks before cutting crosswise to an ⅛” (3 mm) dice. Repeat with the other half.
Pickled Red Onions
Cut one red onion into slices and marinate in rice wine vinegar for at least an hour. The pickle will keep for at least a week in the fridge.
