Seared Salmon
with Wilted Kale, Roasted Tomatoes & Pearl Couscous
This recipe is inspired by the first meal my husband and I ever made together. Now, my Duncan is a man of talents, but he doesn’t love cooking. Will he hang in the kitchen with me, chopping veggies while I make crazy concoctions? Yes. Am I worried he actually might starve without me? Also yes.
While the inspiration meal’s protein was homemade meatballs, I find seared salmon to be the perfect choice when paired with roasted tomatoes and pearl couscous. Also, I added kale, because that’s kinda what I do. But you can use spinach if you prefer. Another great substitute is orzo instead of pearl couscous. As far as the salmon goes, skin or no skin, that’s up to you! I prefer to cook salmon filets with the skin on - it just adds a layer of richness and keeps the fish so deliciously moist and flavorful.
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Ingredients
4 Salmon Fillets, 4-6 oz each
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups kale, veined & chopped
1 large shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon + More for garnish
2 cups cooked pearl couscous or orzo pasta
4 tablespoons butter
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes + more for garnish
Splash red wine vinegar
1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
Shaved Parm
Salt & Pepper to taste
Prep
1. Preheat the oven to 425°
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
3. Prep shallots, garlic, tomatoes, and kale
4. Pat the salmon filets dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Toss the halved cherry tomatoes in olive oil and a pinch of salt & pepper. Arrange face down on the parchment-lined cookie sheet and roast in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until they start to caramelize.
2. In a sauté pan, heat some olive oil over medium-low heat. Add shallots, sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Reduce the heat to low and cook the shallots down while preparing the salmon.
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and 1 tbs butter. Add the salmon fillets to the hot skillet, skin-side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip, repeat, and finish with a healthy squeeze of lemon. Remove from the heat, cover with foil, and set aside.
4. Toss the roasted cherry tomatoes with the pearl couscous, along with the Italian seasoning, lemon zest, juice of red pepper flakes, and a small pinch of salt & pepper to taste.
5. Increase the temperature of the onion pan to medium, and add a drizzle of olive oil, if needed. Add the kale, tossing to coat to incorporate the shallots, and add 1/4 cup water to wilt the kale. Once all the water is absorbed, add a splash of red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
6. Arrange the plate with 1/4 - 1/2 cup pearl couscous topped with the wilted kale, followed by the salmon fillet. Finish the dish with shaved parm, chopped parsley, an optional drizzle of a high-quality finishing oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a lemon wedge.
Start to finish Cook time: 30-45 minutes
Servings: 4
Thai Coconut Soup
with Dumplings
For many years, my favorite 'cure' for a cold was from a true hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant called Alli's Thai Kitchen. The moment I felt the first sniffle, I knew tom ka gai made would be in my future. Heartbreakingly, the establishment became a casualty of COVID-19, and I have been left trying to fill the void ever since.
While nothing will ever replace the spicy-sour soup made by those two sisters at Alli's Thai Kitchen, I have had a lot of fun experimenting with the broth over the years.
Disclaimer: There is very little traditional about my recipe; it has similar elements, while using easy-to-find ingredients. It's another versatile recipe as well; swap out the dumplings for rice noodles, and top with proteins like shrimp, sliced chicken thighs, crispy marinated tofu, or a soft-boiled egg for a deliciously creamy ramen.
4/5 members of our blended family are roughly 75% vegetarian, with one full-time herbivore, so I appreciate that I can swap out ingredients to make sure all dietary needs are covered for whoever is home for dinner at any given time. This recipe can be made gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, depending on your dumplings, broth, and choice of soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Tip: I really like to pan-fry my dumplings, especially when they are going to be bathing in broth. I find that a crispy dumpling adds an element of texture that really adds to the soup.
I pan-fry my dumplings by adding a healthy drizzle of olive oil and 1/4 cup of water to a wok. Then I heat the wok over medium-high heat and cover it for a couple of minutes. Then I remove the lid and continue tossing until the water is absorbed. When the water is gone, and only oil is left, that's when they will start to crisp up. Continue to toss them until they are a lovely golden brown.
One more disclaimer: This is probably as good a time as any to let y'all know that I am one of those people who taste soap when I eat cilantro. I know, I know. I blame my mother. But I do love the bright green element of fresh herbs on pretty much anything. Fresh parsley can always be found in my fridge, and very few of my recipes aren't garnished with it. That being said, I will be using parsley in this dish for that reason, but if you are one of those much more fortunate people who taste notes of citrus instead of a bar of Dove, the world is your oyster.
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Ingredients
2 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch section of ginger, peeled and grated
2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 lime, halved and sliced for garnish
2 cups kale, roughly chopped
2 tbs shredded basil
1 tbs tomato paste
2 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk
64 oz chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs sesame oil, plus more for garnish
2 Tbs rough chopped parsley (or cilantro)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, + more for garnish
2 tbs coconut aminos or soy sauce
1/2 tbs sugar
16 oz package of frozen dumplings
Prep
1. Prep garlic, ginger, mushrooms, limes, kale, and basil
Instructions
1. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat
2. Add shallots to the pan, tossing in hot oil, 1 minute
3. Add garlic and mushrooms, tossing with the shallots, 5 minutes
4. Add ginger and tomato paste to the pan, stir until mushrooms and shallots are coated
5. Deglaze the pan with a bit of broth, 1 minute
6. Add the remainder of the broth to the pan, along with the coconut milk, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and coconut aminos
7. Add lime zest, red pepper flakes, and sugar, mix to combine all ingredients
8. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low
9. Pan-fry dumplings until they are golden brown
10. Add dumplings and halved cherry tomatoes to the soup, and allow everything to simmer together for 5 minutes
11. Garnish with red chili flakes, lime slices, sesame oil, shredded basil, and parsley (or cilantro)
Start to finish Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
