Grilled Salmon Salad with Goat Cheese & Tomato Vinaigrette

Corey really wanted a grilled chicken salad tonight for dinner, but I felt like having salmon, so I did a quick internet search and found this recipe.  It was perfect since I had some goat cheese in the fridge that I needed to use up.  The recipe calls for pine nuts, which I think would be fabulous, but unfortunately I was out.  I subbed sunflower seeds and I think any nut would really work.  I could not believe how good the combination was of the warm, crispy, sweet salmon with the creamy goat cheese.  Awesome!  Recipe found on MyRecipes.com.  I just winged it and didn't measure as I only made this salad for one (me!).

Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

About 1 teaspoon salt

About 1 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces salad mix, rinsed and crisped

Tomato vinaigrette (see recipe below)

4 ounces fresh chèvre (goat) cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup minced green onions (white and pale green parts only)

1/4 cup pine nuts

Preparation:

Rinse salmon and pat dry. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place salmon in bowl and rub pieces all over with spice mixture. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Lay salmon on a barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part reads 140°, 6 to 8 minutes total.
3. Meanwhile, divide salad mix equally among four plates. Place a piece of salmon on each mound of greens. Drizzle salads equally with tomato vinaigrette and sprinkle evenly with goat cheese, green onions, and pine nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste


Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 cup

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, vinegar, oil, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.