Recipe - Salmon Spinach Salad

Note: This dish is a meal in itself and is very delicious and attractive to serve. For a different variation, use garlic-sauteed, sliced, chicken breasts. (See Garlic Sauteed Chicken recipe found on page 185.)

4 salmon fillets, 1 1/2" thick
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse garlic salt with dried parsley

olive oil
coarse garlic salt with dried parsley

1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and patted dry
1 cup whole walnuts, divided
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, divided
1 cup fresh quartered tomatoes, divided
2 cups rope Provel chees, divided or freshly shredded provolone cheese
1 cup white capped mushrooms, thick sliced, divided

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sweet balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coarse black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 475 F. Mix butter, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic salt in a jar with lid. Shake well to blend.
2. Coat a foiled-covered baking pan with olive oil. Lay the salmon fillets on the pan. Pierce each fillet with a fork in several places. Pour olive oil/butter mixture evenly over the 4 salmon fillets, and sprinkle liberally with coarse garlic salt. Roast uncovered, 6 to 7 minutes on each side, until the salmon is pink and flakes easily. Remove from oven and cut away the thick bottom skin from each fillet with a sharp knife and discard. Set aside. Pour pan juices over the fillets.
3. In 4 large salad bowls, divide the spinach, using 4 cups loosely packed sniach leaves per bowl. Divide the walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, rope Provel, and mushrooms among the four bowls, spreading 1/4 cup each item plus 1/2 cup of the Provel cheese over top of each bowl.
4. Place the olive oil, vinegars, and salt and pepper in a jar with lid and shake well. Divide and pour the dressing over each spinach salad. Lay each cooked salmon fillet over the top center of each salad.
5. If more dressing is needed, double the batch. Serves 4 meal-sized salads or 8 small salads.