A picnic favorite: salmon with cucumbers

One of my favorite things to do once the weather is warm is packing a picnic dinner to take down to the beach. I wrap the plates in tea towels, pack food in containers, add cutlery and a few cold beers and I'm all set for a lovely beach side dinner. The only thing left to do is find a sheltered spot with soft sand, a slight breeze and a glorious view.

Coming up with food ideas for a picnic does requires a little thought and planning. The meal has to be portable and relatively easy to eat with minimal mess or dripping juices. What you choose should taste good even if it's not as hot as it should be. Cold or deli style salads are always popular but I like this favorite: grilled salmon with pickled cucumbers and radishes.

One of the reasons this dish is so picnic friendly is because salmon tastes good hot, warm or cold. It doesn't matter. The cucumbers and radishes are pickled in dill and vinegar and are full of fresh flavours that all go well with salmon. Add a classic potato salad or green bean salad, corn on the cob and perhaps a baguette and you have everything you need for a romantic and relaxing evening.



Grilled Salmon with Pickled Cucumbers & Radishes (serves 2)
Based on Martha Stewart's recipe

Ingredients
salmon (2 fillets)
1/4 of a cucumber, thinly sliced (use a mandolin if you have one)
4-5 radishes, thinly sliced (same as above)
3 tablespoons dill, minced
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Peel cucumbers in lengthwise strips, leaving thin strips of skin between peelings. Either by hand or with a mandolin, slice cucumbers and radishes into very thin rounds. Place both in a bowl with rice wine vinegar, dill, sugar, and pinch of salt to season. Toss to combine, and set aside.

Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper. In a hot fry pan or on a hot grill, cook the salmon for several minutes, until nicely browned. Turn over, and continue grilling until just cooked through. Salmon will look flaky when done. Place pickled cucumbers on a serving platter, top with salmon fillets, and serve.