Monday 10 January 2011

Lemony salmon with cherry tomato couscous

This is a super fast and super simple, delicious salmon supper.  The direction below makes it seems more complicated than it is but believe me when I say this takes no time to cook.  It's a great dish when you have friends over during mid-week but actually even better when you're alone because I think I managed to eat a portion for three people.  Been to the gym earlier and I was really hungry when I got home and I ate nearly double of my body weight. *sigh... why bother?!


Lemony Salmon with Cherry Tomato Couscous
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
Serves 4

200 g couscous
3 teaspoons sea salt flakes
1/2 teaspoon paprika (I used smoked)
1 x 15 ml tablespoon grated fresh ginger
250 ml freshly boiled water
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (or use spring onions, Nigella says it's OK too)
zest and juice 1 lemon
1 x 15 ml tablespoon garlic oil, plus 1 teaspoon
300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
4 salmon fillets
4 x 15 ml tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Put the couscous into a heatproof bowl with 2 teaspoons of sea salt flakes, 1/4 teaspoon of the paprika and all the grated ginger.  Give everything a good mix before pouring the boiled water.  Cover the bowl either with a plate or clingfilm, and leave to one side.

Into another bowl, put the finely chopped onion and halved cherry tomatoes.  Now get a shallow dish, big enough to hold the salmon fillets and zest the lemon into it.  Back to the onion and tomatoes bowl, squeeze in the lemon juice.

Over to the "zest" dish, add the remaining salt and the paprika and stir in the 1 tablespoon of garlic oil.

Heat a large frying pan for the salmon fillets.  While the pan's getting hot, turn the fillets both sides to coat them with the zest, paprika and oily salt.  Cook the fillets 2 - 3 minutes a side - depending on the thickness.

Meanwhile uncover the fluff up the couscous with a fork (never a spoon) and tip most of the coriander, the lemony onions and tomatoes, juice and all and mix well.  Taste for seasoning.

Spoon some couscous onto each plate and place a salmon fillet alongside, sprinkling with a little more coriander.

6 comments:

  1. This is such a lovely and healthful meal. I adore salmon and the couscous you've prepared is a perfect accompaniment to it. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  2. Hi Michael-It's amazing how much you love Nigella. She is quite popular all over Europe as well, not to mention, here in the States as well.
    Love the couscous, and the spices, with the tomatoes. Couscous would be pretty bland, had it not for the additionl herbs, and spices added.
    The salmon is done to perfection...I could tell.
    Great and healthy yummy meal!

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  3. I love this, Michael! Healthy, light, delicious...what more could you ask for? I would have ate double my weight in it too!!

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  4. I adore salmon and you even served it with couscous! What a wonderful treat!
    Angie

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  5. That looks like a good recipe to try. Her book is so good. I can never get enough of the recipes.

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  6. This is for me right? That looks so good...the fresh ginger with lemon plus my favorite fish ever :)

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