Recipe of the day : Lazy Salmon Supper

I have been cooking a lot since I got here. Its great that I can find all the ingredients I need within walking distance. I have always wanted to bake and make different types of dishes for quite some time but its just disappointing to not find the stuff I needed. I had to stick to the usual Pinoy dishes that I love to cook. Its a good thing though that my husband never got tired of what he calls the "M classics". I have also incorporated some variation to my typical recipes with whats healthy (like less oil, fish instead of meat). But variety is essential. I dont want to bore myself with the same food and neither do I want my husband to reach that dish "plateau" as I call it. Like in running. when your body gets accustomed to the same workout, you reach a "plateau" wherein you no longer lose weight because you have been doing the same routine over and over. In the same analogy, cooking the same dish every week loses that  magic in it. Its just not special anymore and it becomes ho-hum when you have the same thing 2x within the same month.

Now its my goal to cook something different 3x a week. The classic dishes of course will be a mainstay at least once a month.

Its wonderful too that I live smack in the middle of a great neighborhood lined up with so many stores, restaurants and a supermarket that has everything I need (almost). Its great that they have discount or specials too every week. Good deals and good food abound! Paradise for the food adventurist like me.

Today I made this simple dish my mom found online. We are both fans of Rachael Ray and this recipe seem easy and practical so we gave it a try.

The information below can be found on her website.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• Salt and pepper
• About 1/4 cup finely chopped dill
• Juice of 1 lemon
• EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), for drizzling
• Four 6- to 8-ounce salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (about 1/2 palmful)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander (about 1/2 palmful)
• 1 cup greek yogurt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock, scallions, garlic and butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous and season with salt, pepper, the dill and lemon juice. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
   
   Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with the cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook the fish for 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare (for fish that is opaque and cooked through, add a minute on each side).
   
   Serve the fish with the couscous alongside and a generous dollop of yogurt on top.

 

scallions and couscous

garlic

lemon juice

as labeled

as labeled too

of course the salmon

almost forgot putting this too

Preparing the couscous:

broth, garlic, scallions and butter

Fluffing it up

The salmon:

salmon and seasoning

EVOO!

salmon almost done!

my cooking companion

"guarding" the salmon

The finished product!

Salmon with greek yogurt, couscous and green beans

And of course the aftermath:

Its my first time to have couscous and I think its really great. I like it a lot and I will alternate it with my all time favorite rice as a staple.

Here is a trivia. Did you know that back in the day, the Spanish Inquisition, sought and punished Jews and Muslims who had converted to Christianity on the assumption that most or all of them were still secretly practicing their old faiths. A Jewish convert who changed her underwear on Saturdays, for example, or a Muslim convert who ordered a plate of couscous in a public tavern were both regarded as suitable for burning at the stake as heretics. WTF right?