# Smoked Sable and Lox Spring Salad with Favas, Peas, Asparagus and Nasturtiums > Buttery smoked sable and silky folds of belly and nova lox sit over tender greens, favas, peas and crisp asparagus. Lemon-dill dressing cuts through the rich fish, while nasturtiums bring a peppery bite and the colors of a San Francisco spring. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/spring-nasturtium-salad-with-assorted-cured-fish-russ-daughters-bowl - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-05-18 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Smoked Sable and Lox Spring Salad with Favas, Peas, Asparagus and Nasturtiums](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F5c513db5f0f9e02d.jpg) ## Smoked Sable, Belly Lox and Nova Lox The three cured fish bring contrasting textures and levels of smoke and salt. Keeping them in broad slices and loose folds preserves their delicate texture. ### Ingredients - 6 oz ready-to-eat smoked sable, thinly sliced, gluten-free - 5 oz belly lox, thinly sliced, gluten-free - 5 oz nova lox, thinly sliced, gluten-free ### Instructions 1. Keep all three fish refrigerated while preparing the vegetables and dressing. 2. Shortly before serving, gently separate the slices, removing any remaining bones or tough skin. 3. Divide into four portions, keeping the broad sable slices flat and loosely folding the two kinds of salmon. Do not add salt or cook the fish. ### Notes - Belly lox is especially salty; distribute it in smaller folds throughout each bowl. ## Spring Greens, Favas, Peas and Asparagus with Nasturtiums Brief blanching brings out the vegetables' sweetness without sacrificing their spring-green color. Tender lettuces and peppery flowers contrast with the rich, soft fish. ### Ingredients - 2 lb fresh fava beans in their pods, yielding about 1 cup peeled beans - 1 cup shelled fresh peas - 1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1½-inch pieces - 5 oz tender mixed salad greens, washed and thoroughly dried - 12–16 edible nasturtium flowers from an unsprayed, food-safe source - 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the blanching water ### Instructions 1. Remove the fava beans from their pods. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and prepare a bowl of ice water. 2. Blanch the favas for 1–2 minutes, then lift them into the ice water. Slip each bean out of its pale outer skin. 3. In the same boiling water, blanch the asparagus for 2–3 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Transfer to the ice water. 4. Blanch the peas for 1–2 minutes, until sweet and tender, then chill them in the ice water. 5. Drain all vegetables thoroughly and spread on a clean towel to dry. Excess water will dilute the dressing. 6. Just before serving, gently toss the vegetables and mixed greens with enough lemon-dill vinaigrette to lightly coat them. Reserve the nasturtiums for finishing. ### Notes - Blanch each vegetable separately so its doneness can be controlled. - If the flowers need cleaning, rinse gently and let them dry completely before plating. ## Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette Fresh lemon balances the oily fish while dill connects the spring vegetables to the lox. A lightly emulsified dressing coats the leaves without making the bowl heavy. ### Ingredients - 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill - 1 tbsp water, plus more as needed - to taste freshly ground black pepper - to taste fine sea salt, used sparingly ### Instructions 1. Whisk the lemon juice with the water and a small pinch of salt. 2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until lightly emulsified, then stir in the dill and black pepper. 3. Taste with a piece of vegetable and a small bite of fish before adding more salt. The dressing should taste bright and only lightly salted. 4. If too sharp, whisk in another teaspoon or two of olive oil; if too concentrated, loosen with a little water. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Preparing and drying the vegetables first keeps the final assembly quick and the greens crisp. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Set a pot of water to boil, prepare an ice bath, and shell the favas. 2. 0:10 — Blanch and peel the favas, then blanch and chill the asparagus and peas. 3. 0:25 — Dry the vegetables thoroughly, wash and dry the greens, and make the dressing. 4. 0:35 — Portion the chilled fish, dress the salad, and assemble the bowls. 5. Serve immediately while the greens are crisp and the fish is still cool. ### Notes - The blanched vegetables can be prepared up to one day ahead and refrigerated in a covered container lined with a clean towel. ## Plating A broad, shallow bowl shows off the contrasting fish and flowers while keeping the dressed vegetables accessible underneath. ### Instructions 1. Divide the dressed greens and spring vegetables among four wide, shallow bowls. 2. Lay the sable slices across the center of each bowl and arrange loose folds of belly lox and nova lox around the perimeter. 3. Nestle three or four nasturtium flowers around each bowl, keeping their petals free of dressing. 4. Serve any remaining vinaigrette alongside rather than pouring it over the fish. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the delicate fish and prevents the greens from becoming waterlogged. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate unused fish promptly in sealed containers at 40°F / 4°C or below. Follow the supplier's opened-package guidance and use within two days or sooner if directed. 2. Store undressed vegetables and greens separately from the vinaigrette; use the vegetables within two days and the dressing within three days. 3. Turn the remaining fish and vegetables into a smaller cold salad the next day. Eat already-dressed greens the same day for the best texture. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.