Social Sundays Labor Day Weekend Menu: Grilled Argentinian Salmon, Tomato & Burrata Spinach Salad, and Key Lime Pie!

This weekend is Labor Day, a time to relax and enjoy the last few days of summer. Whether pleasure for you comes from catching up on your favorite Netflix show, gardening outside, or enjoying your family and friends – do something you love with weekend. For me, I love cooking and entertaining and I try my best to encourage others to do the same. This week I put together a meal I enjoy making, especially when the weather is extraordinarily hot outside.

This recipe for Grilled Argentinian Salmon with Cilantro Peanut Sauce is simple to prepare, with a quick dry rub first and an easy sauce of nuts, mustard and cilantro to serve with the fish. The cilantro peanut sauce adds a nice contrast to the smokiness of the grilled salmon and this dish definitely tastes like something you would get in an Argentinian restaurant.

Our side dish this week is a luscious Tomato, Burrata & Spinach Salad. Spinach is a nice great leafy green to pair with tomatoes and burrata because it is hearty enough to handle the weight of freshly sliced fruits and cheese. A sprinkling of parmesan over the entire salad adds a nice saltiness along with the balsamic dressing. This salad is not only beautiful, but flavorful with a nice textural balance.

And as for dessert, Key Lime Pie with Mascarpone Whipped Cream. I use the limes off my tree in the backyard, (not technically key lime) which tend to have a nice balance of sugar and acid. Many key lime pie recipes have a meringue topping, but I love it with a refreshing mascarpone cream. Mascarpone cream is an Italian cream cheese that tends to have a more mild flavor than American cream cheese and tastes great with the creamy lime filling.

Enjoy your Social Sundays Menu and invite some friends and family to share in the fruits of your labor! Don’t forget to comment on your meal and tag me on Instagram @genamariebell!

Key Lime Pie with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Ingredients

Crust

1 package graham crackers, about 14 crackers

2 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoon melted butter

Filling

4 egg yolks

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup lime juice

Topping

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

4 ounce mascarpone cream

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

zest of 1 lime

(Makes 1 Pie)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, add all the crust ingredients and pulse until coarse crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan and press in the bottom and sides, using a measuring cup.

2. Put the crust in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling by adding the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk to a bowl. Then, pour in the lime juice with the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.

3. When the pie crust has cooled for 5 minutes, pour the filling into the crust and bake again for 15-20 or until just set. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours before making the topping.

4. In a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, add the heavy cream and whip until frothy, about 3 minutes. Then, add the mascarpone cream and confectioners sugar, whip again until soft peaks are formed. Do not over whip. Dollop the cream on the center of the pie and using a offset spatula, smooth out the cream over the entire pie.

6. Sprinkle the zest over the top of the pie and refrigerate until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Tomato, Burrata & Spinach Salad

Ingredients

1-2 organic fresh tomatoes

1 ball burrata, you can find at most stores

4 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried

1/4 red onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

(Serves 2-4)

To Prepare:

1. Take the washed spinach and layer the leaves on the bottom of a serving dish. Slice the fresh tomatoes and layer on top of the spinach. Cut the cheese into large chunks, about 4 or 5 and place them on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the onions and cheese over the tomatoes and burrata.

2. To make the dressing, add the balsamic to a bowl and dollop in the Dijon mustard and whisk to combine.

3. Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk again until slightly thickened. Spoon the dressing as desired over each portion of salad. Enjoy!

Grilled Argentinian Salmon with Cilantro Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

2-4 fillets of salmon, about 5 ounces each

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper (my favorite)

Cilantro Peanut Sauce

1 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts lightly salted

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoons sherry vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

pinch of salt & pepper

(Serves 2-4)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat your grill to 375 or heat coals until light grey. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, onion powder, salt and pepper. Generously sprinkle the dry rub over the salmon.

2. In a food processor or blender, add all the sauce ingredients, except the olive oil and puree for 30 seconds. Then, with the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Place the sauce in a bowl and reserve until later.

3. Place the fish, flesh side down on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Gently flip the salmon over and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how you prefer your salmon (medium rare to medium).