Ingredients

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Salad:

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups whole raw almonds
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• One 11-ounce can mandarin oranges
• 2 heads butter or Bibb lettuce, torn into large pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1 cup canned chow mein noodles

Salmon:

• 2 pounds salmon fillets
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Dressing:

In a screw-top jar, combine the vinegar, oil, 1 tablespoon water, the brown sugar, and salt. Screw on the lid and shake well.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.

To Make the Salad:

In a large bowl, toss the almonds with the olive oil. Add the honey and coarse salt and toss to combine. Spread the almonds evenly on the sheet pan and roast until toasted, about 12 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Stir to coat. Let stand until cool, 10 minutes, then break any clumps of almonds apart.

Reserving the liquid, drain the mandarins and spread them on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Add the reserved liquid to the dressing jar and shake well.

For the Salmon:

Preheat a grill to high heat. Place salmon fillets on a tray. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill, turning once, until cooked to desired doneness, 8 minutes total for medium (every grill is different so watch to not over-cook).

Assemble:

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, mandarins, almonds and chow mein noodles. Toss the salad with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Place the salmon on top of the salad and serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Adapted from Magnolia Table