Salmon and lentil pilaf: Superfood recipe!
43
- Prep Time20 mins
- Total Time1 hr 25 mins
- Makes6 Servings
Photo, Roberto Caruso.
Packed with protein, fibre and brain-boosting nutrients.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dry green lentils
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked black quinoa
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp hot-red-chili-flakes
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salmon
300 g sushi-grade skinless, boneless salmon fillet
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp honey, preferably manuka
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh dill
Instructions
Combine lentils with broth in a large saucepan and set over high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 10 min. Stir in quinoa and continue simmering, covered, until quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 more min. Add onion during the last 5 min of cooking. Remove from heat.
Whisk lemon juice with oil and chili flakes in a large bowl. Stir in peppers and parsley along with lentil mixture. Stir until coated. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
Slice salmon into 1/8-in.-thick slices at a 45-degree angle. Stir salt with lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of salt mixture over bottom of a 9 × 13-in. baking dish. Microwave honey for 15 sec to loosen it. Drizzle half of the honey over the salt. Arrange salmon slices in 1 layer over salt and honey. Sprinkle with remaining salt mixture and drizzle with remaining honey. Generously season with pepper. Scatter 1 1/4 cups dill over salmon. Toss to coat salmon thoroughly. Reserve remaining dill. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Transfer salmon to a colander. Rinse slices under cold running water to remove salt, honey and dill. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Pack portions of pilaf into a 5-oz ramekin, then invert each mound onto a plate. Top with salmon slices. Garnish with reserved dill.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 241, Protein 17g, Carbohydrates 22g, Fat 10g, Fibre 3g, Sodium 474mg.
Superfood benefits
Salmon: Three ounces of this brain-friendly fish has half your daily vitamin D and fills 99 percent of your B12 requirements. Lentils: With double the fibre of an apple and almost 30 percent more folate than spinach, these low-fat legumes promote weight loss and build healthy bones.
Quinoa: This low-carb grain is a complete vegetarian protein. A 1/4 cup provides half the recommended daily dose of iron.
Red bell peppers: They have more than double the immunity-boosting vitamin C of an orange and are a rich source of heart-healthy beta-carotene.