Steamed Salmon & Spinach Salad, Meyer Lemon Cream

Fresh Youngs Bay Spring Chinook Salmon
Baby Spinach, Meyer Lemon Wheels,
Toasted Pine Nuts, Cherry Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives
Meyer Lemon Cream, Parsley Garnish

“The quality of the Youngs Bay Spring Chinook is comparable, if not superior to the fabled Copper River king salmon,” says Michael Morrissey, Ph.D., director and professor, Oregon State University Seafood Laboratory.

Youngs Bay is a body of water just west of Astoria, Oregon near the mouth of the mighty Columbia River. I am so excited to have discovered this fabulous salmon with its high (good) fat content, rich flavor and firm texture – and it’s less expensive than Copper River salmon!

We are smitten with our Meyer Lemons (salad with endive and violas here) and addicted to Meyer Lemon Cream… For this salmon salad the lemons are sliced thin – the entire fruit is edible, including the thin, soft, smooth rind. The dressing is made with shallot, lemon juice and cream (or heart-healthy cream substitute).


Skinless Spring Chinook Salmon Filet

Steam the filet for about 10 minutes, until it is just barely cooked through, depending on the thickness of the filet. I reserved the salmon skin for another salad; a tasty blackened salmon skin chopped salad.

Arrange thinly-sliced lemon wheels on the plate. Toss baby spinach with Meyer Lemon Cream. Mound spinach over the lemon wheels. Add halved cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. Finish with toasted pine nuts.

Meyer Lemon Cream

  • 1/4 c. fresh meyer lemon juice
  • 2 T. finely diced shallot
  • 1/2 c. fruity olive oil
  • 1/4 c. mimiccream (or heavy cream)
  • sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Steep the shallot in lemon juice with 1/4 t. of salt. After 5 minutes whisk in olive oil. Then gently add cream. Add fresh ground pepper and more salt to taste. I found this delightful sauce recipe in Suzanne Goin’s fabulous cookbook, Sunday Suppers At Lucques. She uses heavy cream. I found the non-dairy, no-cholesterol (vegan) mimiccream to work quite well!


Place the steamed salmon atop the salad. Ladle Meyer Lemon Cream over the fish.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

34 thoughts on “Steamed Salmon & Spinach Salad, Meyer Lemon Cream”

  1. What a beautiful dish! How lucky are you to have a Meyer lemon tree! They sell them at our local plant store, but I’m not sure how well they would do in Seattle, and they are quite expensive!

  2. So pretty — and healthy looking! I wish the South Florida farmers would start planting Meyer Lemons. The only time I enjoy them is when I’m in CA.

  3. I’m with Pam–I’d do anything to have a Meyer lemon tree over here! What a great looking salad. I like poached salmon, too– Dean & Deluca has a great one they serve during lunch in all their markets… Yours looks just as delish!!

    B-

  4. Oh my goodness, that is the most amazing looking salad and i’m sure it tastes even better. We received a meyer lemon tree as a wedding gift and it’s a wonderful little tree producing lots of fruit (it’s produced many lemon tarts!) i can’t wait to try this lemon creme.
    xo lori

  5. This looks wonderful. Unless I overlooked it, I didn’t see how much lemon juice you are using to make the meyer lemon cream. I’ve never used mimiccream I’ll have to check that out. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Hi Vicki – I am so glad you commented. That is a major omission! Oops! So sorry for the confusion. I fixed the recipe now: it is 1/4 c. fresh Meyer Lemon juice. Please let me know if you make it!
      LL

  6. This is a beautiful summer dish! I’m jealous of your ingredients – Chinook salmon which I haven’t been able to get in a while and how wonderful to have your own Meyer lemon tree!

  7. I’m sure this is as delicious as it looks! Three of my most favorite food, too: lemon, spinach, and salmon. We need to add a meyer lemon tree to our garden. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos and mouthwatering dishes!

  8. How much lemon juice for the lemon cream? The lemon juice appears in the instructions, but not in the ingredient list ….

    1. Hi Dorothy – thanks for your comment, sorry about that, I did leave out the most important ingredient. Oy. I fixed the recipe now: it is 1/4 c. fresh Meyer Lemon juice.
      LL

  9. I love Pacific Salmon. Whenever I can get my hands on it, I do. I love the fat content, the richness, the taste. So delicious. I adore Meyer Lemons and can only get them in March and April and then they are gone so I squeeze them and zest them and freeze it in ice cube grays for later. I love both so our blog made me really hungry.

  10. I seriously have hunger pains looking at this! It’s 11:00 I need to get a glass of water and step away from this ccomputer!

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