Happy Birthday Isabel! Yep, this post and recipe is for you. I had to make something special for your big surprise virtual birthday party. For everyone reading this that doesn't know Isabel, let me introduce you. She is the Isabel Laessig; friend, mom, blogger, and founder of the Sunday Supper Movement and Food Wine Conference. There are few things I know she thoroughly enjoys and it is the inspiration behind this Grilled Salmon Rice Salad.
I met Isabel on the internet. It was on twitter to be exact. Our virtual paths crossed in a weekly twitter chat, back then known as Foodies Night In. We followed each other and then started saying hello to each other in the morning on twitter. It was then I learned she makes pancakes for her kids on the weekends. I can remember tweeting to her on Saturday mornings asking if she had made pancakes yet. Conversations continued and our friendship began.
Then one Sunday she tweeted a simple question. I didn't save it but it was basically "What are you making for #SundaySupper?". I witnessed and answered the tweet that would change her life. It was also the tweet that lead to bringing families and people together for a meal around the family table. The virtual extended family grew and it was time for the first gathering. What started as a let's all go to Isabel's house turned into the spark of putting together a conference. This is how we finally met in person.
We met at a little B&B in Gainesville, Florida. It was the first place we scouted as a location for the conference. Well, after a giant waste of our time for a couple of days, we left and headed for Orlando. This is where we found the location of the conference and had a personal interview with Emeril Lagasse at the same time. It was a time I will never forget.
Our friendship has grown through the years. What I have learned is she loves rice. I remember her post long ago on How to make Portuguese Rice and I swore one day I would make it. I know she loves salmon just about any way and especially either in sushi or grilled. She also adores salads and will make flatbread with a salad on top (she was the inspiration behind my Sausage Onion Flatbread Pizza and the salad part on top of Grilled Wine and Cheese Pizza). This is why I put together those components to make Grilled Salmon Rice Salad. Grilled salmon + rice + salad = Isabel dish.
What is in the salad? First a backstory. I actually did make her Portuguese rice for the salad. It was incredible. Yet the flavors in it offset what I wanted in the salad. So I ate the Portuguese rice for days and made plain rice for the salad. I grilled a marvelous sockeye salmon in season right now. I threw in carrots, green onions, red bell pepper, peas, and fresh parsley. I made a lemony white wine vinaigrette for dressing the salad. I'm pretty sure this is a salad Isabel would enjoy.
A big birthday party needs food and beverages. Scroll down to find a list of all the tasty treats made by Sunday Supper tastemakers for this virtual birthday bash. Join me in wishing Isabel a very happy birthday. She is the one who brought so many people together with such a great mission: to share a meal around the family table. I'm so glad I met Isabel and treasure our friendship. Here's to good times to come. Cheers!
Grilled Salmon Rice Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 pound fresh salmon
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups cooked long grain white rice
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup sweet peas
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
For the dressing:
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the salad:
- Heat grill to medium-high (about 450°F).
- Coat salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place salmon on grill skin side up. Grill for 2 minutes. Use a wide spatula to turn salmon skin side down. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes depending on thickness. Salmon should flake easily.
- Allow salmon to cool to room temperature. Remove and discard skin. Use your fingers to flake apart and separate salmon into pieces.
- Place rice, carrots, peas, bell pepper, parsley, and ½ cup dressing in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add salmon pieces and gently stir or fold in. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Cover and chill thoroughly.
For the dressing:
- Place garlic, shallot, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend on high to combine, about 30 seconds.
- Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in olive oil.
Notes
Join me in celebrating Isabel's Birthday with all the delicious food and drinks her #SundaySupper family prepared!
Birthday Drinks:
- Birthday Cake Cocktails by Daily Dish Recipes
- Blueberry Lavender Mojitos by Amee's Savory Dish
- Caipirinha Colada by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventure
- Fig-Bourbon Fizz by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Mocha Martini by Desserts Required
- Mocha Mudslide by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Plum and Thyme Champagne Cocktail by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Summer Fizzies by Momma's Meals
Birthday Appetizers:
- 2-Ingredient Deviled Eggs by Shockingly Delicious
- Apple and Chorizo Crostini with Shallots and Basil by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Buffalo Chicken Wontons by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
- Burrata Caprese Crostini with Proscuitto by The Crumby Cupcake
- Chorizo and Kimchi Potato Pancakes from kimchi MOM
- Cotija and Roasted Corn Guacamole by Simply Healthy Family
- Gluten Free Basil Tomato Flatbread by Gluten Free Crumbley
- Salt Cod Fritters by Recipes Food and Cooking
Birthday Main Courses:
- Chai Sweet Chili Chicken Flatbread by Lifestyle Food Artistry
- Chorizo Eggs Salad by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Espetada (Portuguese Beef Skewers) by Curious Cuisiniere
- Grilled Salmon Rice Salad by Magnolia Days
- Sofrito Marinated Beef Skewers by Nik Snacks
- Steak with Red Wine Reduction and Blue Cheese by The Weekend Gourmet
Birthday Desserts:
- Angel Food Cake by Feeding Big
- Birthday Blondies by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with Buttercream Icing by Whole Food | Real Families
- Chocolate Doughnuts with White and Chocolate Glaze by Grumpy's Honeybunch
- French Vanilla Eclair Cake by Love and Confections
- Homemade No-Churn Nutella Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cheesecake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Italian Cream Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Japanese Cherry Blossom Brownies and 10 Tips on How-To Get Drunk With Happiness by NinjaBaker
- Mint Chocolate Cream Pie by gotta get baked
- Pink Lemonade Cookies by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Queijadas de Sintra by Food Lust People Love
- Red Currant Cheesecake Ice Cream by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Summer Peach Cake by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Join Isabel and the #SundaySupper family on twitter every Sunday! The chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the conversation. To get great Sunday Supper recipes, visit the Sunday Supper Movement website or check out our Sunday Supper Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It's easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
I loved reading your story about how you met and how SundaySupper got its start. You can feel the bond in your post 🙂 I'm so glad that your friendship pulled us all together as a family and its one I never want to leave! Your salad looks delicious and I'm certain Isabel will love it!
I love everything about this rice salad too, Renee, especially that gorgeous sockeye salmon!
I couldn't wait to read your post! I remember the rice post. It's on the list to make some day. Gorgeous salad. I could eat rice every day but never thought to make a rice salad. Yum!
this looks lovely! I love salmon!
Renee, it was so fun reading this and hearing your story about how you both met. I think it's hilarious the pancakes made a mention in both of our posts. Isabel, you're definitely known for pancakes. I love it!
That Salmon Rice Salad is going on my to-make list immediately. It looks heavenly and I know we will love it!
I just love hearing your story of how the two of you met. Your story just never grows old. You did a fabulous job combining some of her favorites! Now pass the bowl.....
Interesting how you first met online. You have so pegged her in this salad. I want to make it AND her Portugese rice!
The salmon rice salad does indeed look and sound incredible, Renee. But even more remarkable is the backstory of how you 2 met on Twitter. And how serendipitously - and fatefully fortunate - for so many of us that Sunday Supper started =)
What a delicious and healthy dish! I'm sure Isabel will love it!
Renee, I really loved reading about how you and Isabel met, and how your connection grew over the years. I'm so grateful to Isabel and Sunday Supper for leading me to wonderful friends like you, my #SS mentor 🙂 This rice salad is perfect for today's party. Not only is it full of foods that Isabel loves, it's full of food that I love, lol. Beautiful photos too, my friend.
I'd never heard the story of how you two met before--how neat that your Twitter conversation has blossomed into this wonderful community and mission. You've made the perfect salad for Isabel--and for me, too!!
You have no idea how special you made my day! I don't recall ever being this surprised. You know how much I adore salmon and this salad is just gorgeous. I chuckle every time I think about the first time we met in person. I don't know that we will ever forget the arugula picking or the B&B. hahaha Thank you so much Renee. You are an amazing person and friend!
I have never heard the details of how you two met on twitter, so I appreciate it here. I also love how this dish was composed. Very creative!
What a great tribute recipe. Love your backstory how you met!
This is such a colorful salad! I love all that flaked salmon mixed in with the rice. I had no idea that Isabel loves rice so it's nice that you made her this dish. I'm sure she appreciated it!
The rest of us are so happy that you and Isabel became friends and founded this wonderful group. I thought your dish won this party for most attractive.
This salad sounds amazing and is sooooo happening at my house soon since we have salmon from Kevin's fishing trip in the freezer!
I loved reading about how you met Isabel! You never know what simple things may change your life! This is such a beautiful salad. I'm looking forward to grilling up some salmon and making it!
I love this story! I remember when I first met you two at the first conference...I was astounded that you had just met in person shortly before that. I felt like you guys were old friends. Great story and great friendship! Also love this rice salad! Next time we meet up, we should have a potluck!
I adore salmon and this salad looks perfect. Unfortunately I am the only one in my house that eats salmon, so I always make it in smaller portions. Next time, I will have to try this salad. Thank you so much for participating and helping with the celebration!
Great way to use veggies in the fridge,but the best part was adding a fresh peach. Perfection.