MEDITERRANEAN SALMON & COUSCOUS

 

MEDITERRANEAN SALMON & COUSCOUS

The flavors and textures within this dish make for a satisfying and heart-friendly meal.

Skill Level: Beginner.

  • 16 oz. Salmon filets
  • 1 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/2 tsp Salt (divided)
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper (divided)
  • 2 T. Olive oil
  • 1/2 Red onion (sliced thin )
  • 1 medium Fennel bulb ((optional) cut into 1/2-inch wedges; add in same time as red onion)
  • 1 pint Cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1/2 T. Garlic powder
  • 1/2 T. Onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 T. Oregano (or Italian Seasoning Blend )
  • 1 Cup Cousous (dried Israeli, pearled )
  • 2 T. Feta cheese
  • 1 Cup Fresh arugula

Olive-Pistachio Salsa

  • 3 T. Kalamata olives (pitted, chopped)
  • 3 T. Pistachios (lightly roasted, finely chopped)
  • 2 T. Garlic (minced )
  • 1 tsp Fennel seeds (crushed )
  • 1/4 tsp Chili flakes ((optional) )
  • 2 T. Olive oil
  • 2 T. Fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, and season flesh evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

  3. Heat 2 T. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, arrange salmon filets, top side down, in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Let the fish sear untouched in hot oil, creating a flavorful and golden crust. The flesh should be cooked about a third of the way through.

  4. Transfer pan into oven, only if pan is oven safe, otherwise, transfer salmon filets to a small baking tray and bake in the oven for 3 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and set salmon aside.

  5. Add sliced onion(s) to the pot and cook until starting to brown, stirring regularly for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, cooking until tomatoes are blistered, about 2 more minutes.

  6. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano or Italian seasoning and couscous. Stir frequently to allow for the couscous to become lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

  7. Add 1 1/2 cups water, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until most of the water is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 8-12 minutes.

  8. While the couscous cooks, prepare salsa by combining olives, pistachios, garlic fennel seeds, chili flakes, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt; mix well.

  9. Once the couscous is cooked, remove lid and stir in assembled salsa (you can also skip this step and serve the salsa over-top the salmon after plating, depending upon your preference).

  10. Nestle salmon filets back into pan and continue cooking, uncovered, about 2 more minutes to warm salmon, once more. Serve couscous mixture, fresh salsa and salmon over top of fresh arugula with a sliced lemon wedge. Enjoy!

Serving Size: 1/3 of recipe

Nutrition Information: A Mediterranean-style diet ranks as one of the "best" health promoting dietary patterns for supporting our heart health, according to the American Heart Association. This dish emulates this diet's emphasis on the following: plenty of produce, including grains, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds, olive oil as a primary fat source and low to moderate amounts of dairy, eggs, fish and poultry. This recipe is potassium-rich, great for supporting a healthy blood pressure, and packed with vitamin D. 

Calories: 820, Fat: 46g, Protein: 41g, Carbohydrates: 54g, Fiber: 6g, Sodium: 590mg

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