Lemony Summer Greens Dinner Salad

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds salmon fillet, skin on, or 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken (breast or thigh)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ tsp. salt 

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted (may use toasted almonds or pecans)

4 cups fresh baby greens such as spinach, arugula, bibb or Boston lettuce

1 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce

1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin (may substitute 4 small Belgian endives, sliced)

Lemon Shallot dressing (from recipe at right) 

Directions:

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place salmon or chicken in a shallow bowl or a gallon-sized zip-lock bag; add oil-lemon mixture and toss together. Let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature. Grill, broil, or sauté. Cut salmon fillet into 4 portions, or slice chicken. Set aside.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts in a small pan and roast for 8- 10 minutes; set aside. 

Wash and pat dry all the greens. Add them to a large serving bowl and toss with the fennel.  Just before serving, toss greens with 2/3 cup of the dressing. Divide salad between four dinner plates and center a salmon fillet or sliced piece of chicken on top of each salad. Drizzle remaining dressing over the top of each serving, and garnish with toasted walnuts.  Serve immediately.

Note: You can substitute 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced for the salmon or chicken.