ONLINE EXTRA — SERVE 'EM SALMON: Smoked Salmon Spread . . . Smoked Salmon with Red Onion and Caper Cream . . . Salmon Chowder, etc.

Smoked Salmon Spread

2 cups Plain Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

1/3 pound smoked salmon

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia

Fresh dill for garnish

In a medium-size bowl, mash the smoked salmon. Add dill, onion and yogurt. Fold together. Spoon into serving bowl and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or overnight. This allows flavors to combine. Garnish with fresh dill.

Yield: 2 cups.

Smoked Salmon with Red Onion and Caper Cream

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons minced red onion

1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed, chopped

1 package (2 to 3 ounces) thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut each mini pita bread in half horizontally so you have 2 rounds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and Italian seasoning. Place the pita rounds in the bowl and toss to coat. Place the rounds on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, red onion and capers. Put a small dollop of the cream on each pita round. Top with a piece or several small pieces of salmon. Top with another small dollop of the cream. Sprinkle with fresh dill and serve.

Yield: Serves 15.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 55 calories, 49 percent of calories from fat, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 5 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 212 milligrams sodium, 4 milligrams cholesterol, no fiber.

Salmon Chowder

1 14.75-ounce can salmon or 2 cups cooked cubed salmon

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

1½ cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 large onion, chopped

½ teaspoon celery seed (optional)

2 cups water

1 cup tomato juice or 6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cups milk

Fresh chopped parsley or dill for garnish

Remove skin and bones from canned salmon.

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, combine the potatoes, vegetables, onion, celery seed, water and tomato juice or plum tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add to vegetable mixture.

Stir in reserved salmon; heat through before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill.

Yield: Serves 8.

Blue Mountain Coffee and Cocoa-Crusted Salmon

FOR THE RUB:

½ cup ground Blue Mountain coffee (or your favorite)

½ cup Valhrona cocoa powder (or any high-quality)

2 tablespoons mesquite powder (see note)

1 tablespoon kosher (coarse) salt

1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

2 to 3 pounds salmon fillets, skin removed

FOR THE SAUCE:

4 chipotle peppers (canned with adobo sauce)

2 cups honey

½ cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

TO FINISH:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Mix all rub ingredients. Press on both sides of salmon filets and set aside in refrigerator.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the chipotle peppers, honey, orange juice and zest. Taste and add adobo sauce from the can for desired heat level. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer, pressing the peppers with the back of spoon.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet large enough to hold the salmon, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Sear the salmon on both sides until golden brown. Place on a baking sheet and bake until desired doneness. (¾ inch-thick fillets are firm but not tough in 3 minutes).

Transfer to a platter and drizzle with some of the sauce, serving the rest on the side.

Yield: Serves 8.

Note: Mesquite powder, also known as algorobba, is simply ground mesquite seed pods. It has a sweet and smoky-nutty flavor similar to carob. Look for it online or at specialty markets.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 274 calories, 48 percent of calories from fat, 14.8 grams fat (3.2 grams saturated, 6 grams monounsaturated), 81.8 milligrams cholesterol, 29.3 grams protein, 6.7 grams carbohydrates, 1.9 grams fiber, 830 milligrams sodium.

Salmon Gazpacho

½ pound salmon fillet

1 cup low-sodium tomato juice

2 cups diced ripe tomatoes (divided use)

¾ cup diced Vidalia or red onion

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons diced cucumber (divided use)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 slices crusty whole wheat bread

2 scallions, sliced (about ½ cup)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the salmon 3 minutes per side, turning once, for a 3/4-inch piece. (Adjust timing according to thickness.)

While salmon cooks, pour tomato juice into a blender or food processor. Set aside 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes and add the rest to the blender. Add the onion, ¾ cup diced cucumber, olive oil, vinegar and yogurt. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide gazpacho between 2 large soup bowls.

Toast bread. Cut cooked salmon into 1- to 2-inch pieces and divide between the bowls. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes, and cucumber over soup and sprinkle scallions on top. Serve with toast.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 505 calories, 38 percent of calories from fat, 21.5 grams fat (4.5 grams saturated, 8.2 grams monounsaturated), 67 milligrams cholesterol, 37.7 grams protein, 41.8 grams carbohydrates, 6.6 grams fiber, 323 milligrams sodium.

Planked Salmon with Mustard-Mayo-Dill Slather

1 salmon fillet, ¾-inch thick, skin removed (1½ to 2 pounds.)

1 15-by-6-by-]-inch cedar or alder grilling plank, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

FOR THE SLATHER:

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1 clove garlic, minced

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

Prepare an indirect fire in a grill, with a hot fire on one side and no fire on the other.

To make the slather, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Compare the length of the plank with the length of the salmon fillet and trim the salmon to fit the plank, if necessary. Place the salmon on the prepared plank and spread the mustard slather over the top.

Place the plank on the grill grate on the no-heat side. Cover the grill and cook until the fish begins to flake when tested with a fork in the thickest part, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve the salmon hot, right from the plank.

Yield: Serves 6.

Pasta Salad with Salmon

1 cup seashell pasta

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

2 6-ounce size cans salmon, drained

Freshly ground black pepper

Lettuce leaves, for serving

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse pasta under cold running water. Drain again and set aside.

Cook peas in water until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again and set aside.

In food processor or through a sieve, puree cottage cheese. Add yogurt and lemon juice; mix well.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, peas, yogurt mixture and dill. Discard skin from salmon and break into chunks, taking care to remove any small bones; add salmon to pasta mixture and stir gently to mix. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste. Line serving plates with lettuce leaves and mound salad on top.

Yield: Serves 4 as main dish and 8 as side.

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

¼ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup bourbon

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¾ pound salmon fillet

Blend broth, bourbon, tomato paste and honey over medium-high heat in a skillet just large enough to hold the salmon. When it comes to a simmer, add the salmon. Keeping the sauce at a low simmer, cook the salmon 3 minutes, turn and cook 4 more minutes for a ¾-inch thick fillet. The sauce will cook to a glaze. Divide salmon between 2 dinner plates and spoon glaze on top.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 456 calories, 18 percent of calories from fat, 39.8 grams protein, 29.8 grams carbohydrate, 9.2 grams fat (2.2 grams saturated), 0.8 grams fiber, 110 milligrams cholesterol, 231 milligrams sodium.

Salmon and Shrimp Cakes

½ pound shrimp, peeled, deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

8 ounces skinless salmon fillet

1 large leek (or 2 small) white and pale green parts only, washed well, chopped

¼ cup minced red bell pepper

1 egg

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs or other favorite bread crumbs

1/3 to ½ cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon

CAPER AND LEEK TARTAR:

1 tablespoon capers, drained well (reserve ¼ teaspoon of the brine), rinsed, chopped

½ sauteed leeks from above

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the shrimp in a bowl and drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Place the salmon filet on a sided baking sheet and rub with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast the salmon for 4 minutes. Add the shrimp to the baking sheet —- away from the salmon filet —- and roast 5 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through and shrimp are cooked. Remove from the oven. Turn on the broiler.

In a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the leek and saute until tender. Remove the leek and divide between 2 medium bowls. Set one bowl aside for the sauce.

Flake the roasted salmon into the other bowl. Coarsely chop the shrimp and add it to the salmon. Add the bell pepper, egg, panko, mayonnaise and Dijon. Season with salt and pepper. Gently mix together. If the mixture seems too loose, add more panko and mayonnaise. Form the mixture into 8 cakes.

Place the cakes on a broiler pan and broil 6 inches from the heat, about 4 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, add all the sauce ingredients to the remaining leeks in the bowl. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Remove the cakes from the broiler and serve with the tartar sauce.

Yield: 8 cakes.

Approximate nutritional analysis per one cake: 188 calories, 62 percent of calories from fat, 13 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 5 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams protein, 328 milligrams sodium, 91 milligrams cholesterol, no fiber.

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