Joy Crump
With modern diners’ appetite for flavor-forward seafood, this salad tees up the trend really well. It also showcases the modern approach that sees a nice balance of greens and grains. “I like to compose the bulk or the base of salad out of things that are simple, filling and hearty,” says Joy Crump, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of FoodE.
Her Smoked Trout Salad brings together crisp romaine, wheat berries, fresh vegetables—such as cucumber, carrot, sweet red bell pepper, broccoli slaw—avocado and bacon, topped with flakes of smoked trout. Lemon juice, olive oil and freshly chopped herbs finish the salad.
“Smoke as an element in food can so often be heavy-handed,” says Crump. “The delicate, quick-cooking nature of fish dictates a gentler approach to smoke. The smoked trout is perfectly light and flaky, but also bold. Featuring that smoke on a salad can be a welcome surprise for guests.”
She says the salad is a year-round item, but that a summer version might include more fresh, seasonal vegetables. Other swaps can be made for the grains—wild rice, farro or barley. And the trout isn’t even a must. “Your imagination sets the tone for this one. Smoked trout can become grilled and chilled shrimp. Avocado can become a wonderful creamy cheese. Broccoli can become quickly blanched pole beans. Really, there are almost no rules to setting up this dish for success!”
