Apple Salmon Caesar Salad

Caesar salads are one of my favorites, but my husband is allergic to anchovies, and I am not fond of boring croutons. So I spruced up this salad with some lovely fall apples and toasted sunflower seeds for crunch and warmth.

Here in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, the colder weather has made the local salad greens even tastier, especially the bag of mixed romaine this recipe was inspired by.

Local apples are hitting their sweet spot, and although the squirrels got all our sunflower seeds, the ones in the bulk section of the coop were fresh and rich with that earthy sunflower bite.

Leftover salmon, some fancy capers to make up for the lack of anchovies, and a little organic mayonnaise is about all you need to finish this off!

Apple Salmon Caesar Salad

Start with the freshest romaine you can find, break into bite sized pieces – you need at least 2 cups per person if this is the main dish.

Use the finest red tart/sweet apple you can find and slice into flat bite sized pieces – about 1/2 apple per person

2 T of dry roasted sunflower seeds per serving

A minimum of 1 tsp of capers per serving

Organic mayo and extra virgin olive oil – just enough to coat the salad

Freshly ground mixed pepppercorns

Sea salt just a little to taste

Wild caught salmon – leftovers, canned, or freshly grilled

• In a big bowl place everything but the mayo and oil and salt, break up the salmon if needed
• Drizzle a little olive oil and a tablespoon of mayo per serving,
• Toss, taste, and adjust, adding more oil, mayo, capers, or sea salt as needed.

Tips:

• I toast the raw sunflower seeds myself in a dry frying pan over a medium flame until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Do a few extra to have on hand – you can keep them in a glass jar for 2 weeks or more.
• Instead of adding the salmon to the salad, serve a freshly cooked salmon steak on the side.
• This salad is super fast to make, so make it right when you want to eat it, and not before.