Smoked Salmon Salad with Roasted Winter Vegetables

Sunday is my favorite local Farmers Market and usually a day where I have some free time so my dinners are typically a little more composed than my usual weeknight meals. However, I must also make time for reading the NY times the whole way through, walking the dog etc....so I try to keep dinner pretty quick and easy but yet try to make it look a little fancy. Most importantly, I always try to feature the produce that I just purchased at the Farmer's Market, while it's still at its freshest.

Tonight's dinner will be Applewood Smoked Salmon with Chicory Salad & Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Caramelized Fennel, Parsnips, & Pears. Super easy and can be served family style on a pretty platter so it looks bountiful and appealing. I usually make this salad with Frisee but the Escarole & Raddichio looked so perfect today, I'm using that instead. I took some help from my local fishmonger at my Farmer's Market who makes the BEST hot smoked fish. Their crab cakes are divine too and would be a fine substitute.

Ingredients-

Yields 4 generous servings:

1 1/4 # Hot Smoked Salmon

2 ripe but firm D'Anjou Pears

2 medium Fennel bulbs, fronds removed

2 Parsnips

3 medium, light flesh sweet potatoes

1 medium head Frisee (or Escarole/ Radicchio mix)

1TB Dijon mustard

zest and juice from 1 lemon

3-4 TB good Olive Oil

1 TB chopped fresh Rosemary

Method- 

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel Sweet Potatoes and cut into coins, @ 1/2" thick. Season with salt & Pepper, 1tsp chopped rosemary, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to combine and spread out to an even layer on a foil lined half sheet pan. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender

2) Line another sheet pan with foil. Peel and quarter Parsnips & Pears. Trim, core and quarter fennel bulbs and toss vegetables with salt, pepper, olive oil, and remaining rosemary. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and caramelized in color.

3) Wrap salmon filet tightly to form a little package. Roast in the oven with the vegetables until heated through, approx 10-15 minutes.

4) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, make your vinaigrette. Zest and juice 1 lemon into the bowl. Add Dijon mustard, a sprinkling of salt & pepper, and Olive Oil and whisk to emulsify. Toss in the Frisee to coat. 

5) Arrange the lettuce into a little bed onto serving platter and place the sliced smoked salmon filet on top. Arrange the sweet potatoes, and the other vegetables around the sides of the platter. Serve with sliced crusty bread (always) topped with a bit of chevre and a good glass of wine.