The dressing is the real star of this salmon and napa cabbage salad

Citrusy and gently sweet, creamy and savory, this dressing lights up just about anything you drizzle it on, writes Ellie Krieger

This elegant dish holds up well in the fridge for a make-ahead dinner or packed work lunch (Tom McCorkle/The Washington Post)

The dressing in this recipe may get second billing in the title, but as far as I am concerned it is the real star here. Made simply by whirring orange and lime juices, spring onion, miso paste, salt, pepper and a little honey in a blender, then whisking in a little mayo, it is so alluringly good – citrusy and gently sweet, creamy and savoury – it lights up just about anything you drizzle it on.

Here it is tossed with shredded napa cabbage, carrot and red onion to make a mouthwatering slaw, which is served topped with a buttery fillet of chilled poached salmon, and then you drizzle more of the magical dressing on top.

It’s an elegant dish which holds up well in the fridge for a make-ahead dinner, or in a cooler to, say, bring to work for lunch, or to a weekend picnic.

You might want to make a double, or even triple, batch of the dressing, because once you try it, you’re going to want more and it keeps in the refrigerator for several days.

The dressing is truly a game changer drizzled on just about any type of seafood, grilled chicken, grilled or steamed vegetables or tossed with whatever salad greens look best at the market – a star player that adds luster to everything it touches.

Poached salmon and napa slaw with citrus-miso dressing

Make ahead: The poached salmon needs to be made and chilled at least 4 hours in advance. The slaw can be dressed and refrigerated up to 2 hours before serving.

Storage notes: The poached salmon can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. The dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Serves: 4

Active time: 50 min | Total time: 50 mins, plus at least 4 hours for chilling salmon

Ingredients:

For the salmon:

1 lemon, halved

Four (170g) centre-cut salmon filets

For the dressing:

3 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tbsp white miso

2 large spring onions, white and light green parts coarsely chopped, and dark green parts thinly sliced and reserved for garnish

1 tbsp honey

¼ tsp fine salt

Pinch ground white pepper

60g mayonnaise

For the slaw:

360g lightly packed thinly sliced napa cabbage (about ½ small head)

1 medium carrot, grated on the large holes of a box grater

40g thinly sliced red onion (half-moons)

Method:

Make the salmon: in a deep frying pan with a lid, add enough water to fill about three-quarters of the way and bring it to a low boil over medium-high heat, adjusting the heat as necessary. Fill a kettle with a couple of cups of water and bring to a boil to add later, if needed. Squeeze the lemon into the water in the pan, then place the fish skin-side down in the pan. Add more boiling water from the kettle, if needed, to submerge the fish. Return to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, adjusting the heat to maintain a low simmer until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 52C, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of fillets. Transfer the salmon to a large plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours. Before serving, flip the fish over and remove the skin and any brown flesh underneath it.

Make the dressing: in a blender, combine the lime juice, orange juice, miso, the white and light green parts of the spring onions, the honey, salt and pepper into a blender and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula as needed. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in the mayonnaise until combined (if you have a large blender that requires more volume to work properly, double the dressing recipe).

Make the slaw: in a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrot, red onion and about half of the citrus miso dressing until combined.

To serve, divide the slaw among four serving plates, top each with a piece of salmon, drizzle the fish with the remaining dressing and garnish with the reserved spring onion greens. Serve with a wedge or two of lime.

Nutrition per serving | Calories: 416; total fat: 21g; saturated fat: 3g; cholesterol: 109mg; sodium: 581mg; carbohydrates: 17g; dietary fibre: 4g; sugar: 11g; protein: 36g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

© The Washington Post