It doesn’t seem that long ago that the good citizens of our fair burg were complaining about the long, nasty, cold spring. Well those voices have been silenced, happily, and the forecast for the next couple weeks calls for long, hot days and cool, delicious dining.

Though July and August represent barbecue season, we also like to keep it light and keep cool in the summer, don’t we? Summer is not the time for hearty stews and haunches of beasts but rather lighter fare; crisp salads, cold meats and refreshing veggies- maybe served with a favourite dip- are preferred repasts in warmer weather. This is the perfect time for pasta salads and fresh fruit salads and crudité with a nice herbed aioli. Today we have a look at a surprisingly simple pasta salad that will become habit forming, and is an awesome way to use that leftover salmon you barbecued last night. Here we present a pasta salad of rotini with goat cheese, arugula, radicchio and cherry tomatoes, topped with cold grilled salmon.

Grilled salmon, delicious hot or cold

True, you’re going to have to boil some pasta for this salad, but the rest of this dish is too cool for school. Grilling fish is a snap, and this salad works beautifully with your salmon hot off the grill or chilled overnight. You can also quick cool your noodles right after you drain them by immersing them in an ice bath for a few minutes, then draining. Put the rotini in a large bowl and mix with goat cheese, a little olive oil and lemon and salt and pepper. For the goat cheese we used Woolwich Spreadable Goat Cheese. This is a great product on our shelves now that spreads as easily as whipped cream cheese, and is made with fresh Canadian goat milk at their dairy in Orangeville, Canada’s leading goat dairy. It is so good that you will likely want to use it as is, or add some fresh chopped herbs to make a fabulous dip or spread on crackers, pita or tramezzini.

Give it a good mix then add your torn arugula and radicchio, a little chopped sweet onion and halved cherry tomatoes, giving it another gentle toss. Finally, place your salmon, hot or cold- on top, and squeeze a little lemon over all. This is a full meal in itself, greens, protein and carbs all in one delicious dish; amazing anytime, but perfect for the dog days of summer.