Salmon-Topped Salads

• Use cold, Champagne-poached salmon as the protein component that transforms a salad into a complete meal. A Champagne vinaigrette is the ideal complement to such a salad. Save a little of the poaching liquid for a homemade dressing. Prepare a basic green salad, combining different greens together for a more interesting array of flavors, and top with your favorite vegetables and a slice of cold salmon. Cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes and avocado pair nicely with salmon, as do garbanzo beans and sweet corn. A grain-based salad, using couscous, quinoa, brown rice or bulgur wheat, is a more filling option. Small pasta shapes also make a good base. Toss with flakes of salmon and dressing, as well as some crunchy ingredients such as green onions, diced red pepper and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Quick Salmon Dip

• Whizz cold salmon in a food processor with a little sour cream, cream cheese mayonnaise, yogurt or a combination of those to make a smooth dip or spread. Enhance it with lemon zest and juice, horseradish, green onion or shallots and plenty of black pepper. Other tasty additions include capers, which add a little vinegar zing, and water chestnuts for some crunch. Spread the mixture on crackers or toast, serve it with chips or crudites, or spoon a generous amount on top of a baked potato. Eat it for breakfast on toasted bagels with slices of tomato.

Superior Salmon Sandwiches

• Use chunks of leftover cold salmon to make a sandwich that's far superior to your usual ham and cheese or turkey club. You can use the salmon as it is and spread the bread with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard or any favorite spread, or mash it with mayonnaise first. Include greens with some punch, such as arugula or watercress, for an even tastier sandwich. Try pita bread and tzatziki with cold salmon, or a tortilla wrap with salmon and fresh salsa. Salmon dip also makes an excellent sandwich filling. Spread it thinly on soft, crustless slices of white bread, perhaps with thin slices of cucumber, and cut into elegant triangles. Fill a hoagie roll with chunks of salmon or generous scoops of salmon dip in the manner of a lobster roll.

Serve Salmon With Cold Sides

• For a nice summer dinner, set out several different salads, such as a potato salad, three-bean salad, green salad and some marinated, roasted vegetables. Serve every person a piece of cold salmon and let them take their pick of the side dishes. If you don't have a lot of leftover salmon, arrange a plate of various cold cuts too. Stuffed tomatoes, stuffed avocados, stuffed grape leaves, or dolmades, and deviled eggs also make good side dishes for cold salmon. Include dinner rolls and butter.