Salmon with Pickled Vegetables & Spicy Vinaigrette
Serves 4
This is a quick and easy way to make better-than-store-bought pickles in 30 minutes. The secret is pouring the hot vinegar mixture over slices of cold, crisp vegetables. When allowed to infuse and cool, you have the perfect balance of sour and sweet that will satisfy the vinegar-loving pickle crowd any day of the week. Paired with roasted, wild salmon and chewy farro with chili dressing, you have the perfect blend of yin and yang that will have your tastes buds singing for more. Go on, get in the kitchen with the kids and give this mouth tingling dish a try. I’m sure you will love it.
Ingredients:
½ cup cold radishes, thinly sliced
½ cup cold daikon radish, thinly sliced
½ cup cold cucumber, thinly sliced (mini cucumber works really well with this recipe)
½ cup cold carrots, thinly sliced
¼ cup rice vinegar (bring to a boil with 2 tablespoons of honey)
Extra virgin olive oil spray
4 4oz pieces of salmon (wild if possible)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Farro, Kumat or brown rice
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock or water
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons chili garlic paste
1 fresh lime, juice of
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
How to make:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Place the sliced vegetables into a small bowl. Pour over the hot vinegar and honey. Stir to combine, and then leave to infuse until cold, around 30 minutes.
Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray the foil with a light coating of oil. Place the salmon skin side down onto the foil. Season with salt and pepper, and lightly spray each portion with oil. Pop into the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.
While the salmon is cooking, place the farro into a medium size saucepan and add 4 cups of stock. Place the pan on the stove, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until all the stock has been absorbed into the farro. Make sure the farro is tender. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the chopped cilantro. Whisk the chili paste, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of oil together in a small bowl.
Divide the farro equally among four warm plates. Top with a piece of salmon. Spoon over the pickled vegetables and drizzle with the chili sauce. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.