Spring

• Combine fresh vegetables and/or herbs with any basic sauce to create cured salmon appetizers for a spring gathering. Toss diced baby carrots and water chestnuts with soy sauce into the sauce. Drizzle the mixture over thin slices of the salmon for an Asian-style appetizer. Combine minced rosemary, tomato and spring onion with a little Italian dressing and spoon it over chunks of the fish for an Italian-style appetizer. Mix parsley, celery leaf, cilantro, garlic and mayonnaise to create a leafy sauce with a mix of sweet and spicy flavors.

Summer

• Dill is a summer herb that pairs wonderfully with any kind of fish, especially salmon; mix a little dill with some lemon juice and mayonnaise for a simple herb sauce. Combine dill, salt, mustard, mayonnaise and honey to create a sophisticated sauce that adds a hint of sweet to the fish flavor. Mix apricot marmalade with apricot juice to create a sweet sauce that helps balance the flavor of a salt-cured salmon. Simmer minced, fresh, summer pears in white wine to create a light sauce.

Fall

• Parsley can be harvested into fall, so saute some fresh parsley and garlic in butter; serve over thick slices of salmon for a savory appetizer. Mix parsley with lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, vinegar and oil for a light sauce with a little tang. Fall vegetables help turn a simple sauce into something special. Simmer minced shallots and diced mushrooms in cream to create a savory sauce. Toss diced jalapeno and tomatoes in oil and lime juice for a salmon sauce with a Southwest kick.

Winter

• Winter is the time to use your dried herbs. Mash roasted garlic into cream cheese and melted butter, and drizzle over cured salmon for a creamy appetizer. Saute finely diced leeks and tomatoes in parsley-butter to create a delicate sauce with a Mediterranean flair. Simmer orange juice with ground pepper and cornstarch to create a light sauce with a hint of sweet and spicy flavors.