At a recent dinner, my culinary guru/friend Jolene Worthington served guests a delicious, perfectly glazed, broiled salmon steak atop vinaigrette-dressed spinach.

The salmon’s cooking juices gently wilted some spinach leaves, a tangy vinaigrette played well with the rich fish.

As her sous-chef for that entree, I loved its simplicity and tried to replicate it — with a few twists. Diced mango tossed with the spinach produced a mellow version.

Another friend suggested citrus, perhaps ruby red grapefruit. Tried that too, with the grapefruit’s tartness brightening the salmon. Would halibut, swordfish or tilapia work? I tried each with tasty results.

Tiny red potatoes (halved, boiled and buttered) plus a meal capper of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce with toasted pecans filled out the feast.

Tips: Use a barbecue grill rather than the oven to cook fish. Serve with iced tea or a French Chablis or Oregon pinot noir.

CITRUS-GLAZED SALMON WITH SPINACH—Yield: 4 servings

1 large ruby red grapefruit12-16 ounces fresh spinach3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar with a touch of honey, divided3 tablespoons olive oil, divided1/4 teaspoon saltFreshly ground pepper4 salmon fillets or steaks, about 4 ounces each1 medium shallot, finely chopped

Procedure:1. Peel and section grapefruit over bowl, catching juice; you’ll need about 1/4 cup. Dice grapefruit segments; place segments and spinach in large bowl.2. Combine 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste in small bowl.3. Arrange salmon on plate; pour 1/2 cup vinaigrette over salmon (reserving remaining vinaigrette). Let stand 15-20 minutes.4. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line broiler pan or shallow baking pan with foil; brush with oil.Remove salmon from marinade, discarding marinade; place salmon in pan. Broil 8-10 minutes.4. To dress spinach, put reserved vinaigrette in heavy saucepan; reduce slightly over medium-high heat. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice, remaining 1/4 cup vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in bowl with shallots and reduced vinaigrette. Pour over spinach; toss to coat.5. Divide spinach among four dinner plates; top with salmon.

Nutrition data per serving: 365 calories, 47 percent of calories from fat, 19 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 72 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates, 29 g protein, 281 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

Serve guests a delicious, perfectly glazed, broiled salmon steak atop vinaigrette-dressed spinach. Photo by MCCLATCHY