Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Olive Oil and Citrus Poached Salmon

Poaching salmon in olive oil and lemon was an entirely new endeavor for me and oh my goodness, does it produce the most tender and delicately flavorful salmon! Salmon that lends itself to all sorts of presentations -- serve it with steamed vegetables and rice, over a salad or flaked on a cracker with herbed spreadable cheese.

Here I've used it flaked into a Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Olive Oil and Citrus Poached Salmon that uses the poaching liquid in a dressing flecked with briny capers and then tossed together with orzo, bright tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, tangy feta and fresh dill with it's subtle hints of anise.

This is great for a "one-dish" meal. Serve it with a leafy green salad -- or even serve it over a salad green -- peppery arugula would be fantastic. And add a loaf of crusty bread. This is also something I plan to bring to concerts in the park to share. Or may serve on a brunch buffet.

This was created with teases of spring in the air. I'm look forward to making it later in the summer when my garden tomatoes and cucumbers are in abundance.

Ingredients

Orzo Salad and Dressing

Olive Oil and Citrus Poached Salmon

• orzo pasta
• cherry tomatoes
• English cucumber
• large shallot
• scallions
• fresh dill
• fresh flat-leaf parsley
• feta cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• lemons
• capers
• garlic clove
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• center cut salmon fillet
• 5-6 thyme sprigs

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Add first 8 ingredients to a large bowl. Reserve.

Place salmon fillet skin side down in an oven-proof baking dish that the salmon fits in snugly.

Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Pour olive oil over and around salmon. Zest lemon evenly over the top of the salmon. Squeeze lemon over the top of the salmon. Top the salmon with 5 or 6 thyme sprigs.

Bake the salmon until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Check the salmon after 10 minutes to see its progress. To prevent overcooking, use a thermometer to check for doneness. The thickest part of the salmon should read 125°F.

Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. The salmon will continue to cook during this time.

Reserve the olive oil and lemon cooking liquid.

Add reserved poaching liquid to a small bowl. Whisk in an additional ⅓ cup olive oil and juice of one lemon with capers, garlic, salt and pepper.

Flake poached salad into small pieces and add to the large bowl with the orzo. 

Pour dressing over the top and toss gently to combine. Garnish with dill. Serve at room temperature.

Hint: While this can be made in advance and refrigerated, the flavors found in Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Olive Oil and Citrus Poached Salmon are enhanced by serving it at room temperature.

Substitutions

• Gluten Free - for a gluten free option, substitute the orzo with 3-4 cups of cooked rice
• Feta Cheese - substitute crumbled goat cheese, ricotta salata or cotija cheese
• Cherry Tomatoes - dice up a few whole tomatoes or add in ⅓ to ½ cup diced jarred marinated sun-dried tomatoes. (Toss in some of that yummy sun-dried tomato marinade to the dressing!)

Variations

• Shrimp - This would be equally as good with 1 to 1-½ lbs. cooked shrimp instead of the salmon
• Mediterranean "Plus" - Add in a cup of chopped marinated artichoke hearts, a half cup of diced roasted red peppers and ⅓ cup of halved Kalamata olives
• Poached Salmon - If you are crunched for time, I like the quality of Wild Planet and Safe Catch -- both brands offer salmon in 3 ounce packets. Add 3-4 packets to the orzo salad, and make the dressing using ½ cup extra virgin olive oil; ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tablespoons drained capers, coarsely chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper

See this spicy version of this recipe on my website! (placeholder for in-content link)

Equipment

• stock pot or pasta pot
• small baking dish

Storage

This is best served immediately, but can be prepared in advance, adding in the flaked salmon when ready to serve. Both the prepared salad and olive oil and citrus poached salmon will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

This is best served at room temperature.

 🍽️ Recipe

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Olive Oil and Citrus Poached Salmon

The Savory Tart

Olive oil and citrus poached salmon is flaked into a Mediterranean orzo salad that uses the poaching liquid in a dressing flecked with briny capers and then tossed together with orzo, bright tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, tangy feta and fresh dill with it's subtle hints of anise.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course brunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Equipment

• baking dish
• stock pot or pasta pot

Ingredients

  

Orzo Salad

• 12 oz. pound orzo pasta cooked al dente according to package directions
• 8 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in half
• ½ English cucumber peeled, seeded and diced into ½” pieces
• 1 large shallot diced (about ⅓ cup)
• ⅓ cup minced scallions white and green parts
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Olive Oil and Lemon Poached Salmon

• 1 pound center cut salmon fillet about 1-inch thick, preferably wild-caught
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 5-6 thyme sprigs

Dressing

• Reserved salmon poaching liquid
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons drained capers coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Add first 8 ingredients to a large bowl. Reserve

Prepare Salmon:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Place salmon fillet skin side down in an oven-proof baking dish that the salmon fits in snugly.
• Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Pour olive oil over and around salmon. Zest lemon evenly over the top of the salmon. Squeeze lemon over the top of the salmon. Top the salmon with 5 or 6 thyme sprigs.
• Bake the salmon until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Check the salmon after 10 minutes to see its progress. To prevent overcooking, use a thermometer to check for doneness. The thickest part of the salmon should read 125°F.
• Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. The salmon will continue to cook during this time.
• Reserve the olive oil and lemon cooking liquid.

Prepare Dressing

• Add reserved poaching liquid to a small bowl. Whisk in an additional ⅓ cup olive oil and juice of one lemon with capers, garlic, salt and pepper.

Assemble Salad.

• Flake poached salad into small pieces and add to the large bowl with the orzo. Pour dressing over the top and toss gently to combine. Garnish with dill. Serve at room temperature.

Keyword citrus orzo salad, Fish Recipes, Mediterranean Recipes, orzo salad, pasta salad, Poached Salmon, Salmon, Salmon orzo salad, Seafood

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