We enjoy a creamy seafood salad as much as the next person, but most versions are gooped up with mayonnaise and filler ingredients. For a healthier seafood salad, we started with smoked trout, a great source of unsaturated fats, vitamin D, and protein. We then deconstructed the salad, flaking the fish atop a mix of piquant arugula and crunchy, aromatic fennel a wonderful but underutilized salad candidate. Granny Smith apples contributed a little sweetness and more crunch, and we made sure to leave the skin on to obtain all the fruit’s fiber and vitamin C. Instead of a mayo-based dressing, we made a simple lemon and oil vinaigrette with fresh tarragon, shallot, and tangy whole-grain mustard that really brought everything together in a much lighter way, letting the individual ingredients shine through. Smoked mackerel can be substituted for the smoked trout.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 ounces (5 cups) baby arugula
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks
- 1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
- 8 ounces smoked trout, skin and pin bones removed, flaked
- Whisk lemon juice, mustard, shallot, 1 teaspoon tarragon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil. Add arugula, apples, and fennel and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide salad among plates and top with flaked trout. Sprinkle with remaining tarragon. Serve immediately.
