Chili Lime Salmon with salsa verde and popped Quinoa
This show-stopping salmon dish, built with Peruvian superfoods, spices, and techniques, layers flavors in a most delicious and nutritious way! The Chili Lime Vinaigrette serves as both a marinade for the fish and a tasty pop for the quinoa and the “salad” topper of cilantro, scallions, jalapeno and radish. The Chili Lime rub flavors are a perfect pairing with the hot chili oil drizzle over the salad that makes the dish sizzle! Speaking of popping, get ready for popped quinoa – and of course, we recommend the opening pop of bubbly! Perfect for putting Pop and Sizzle into your Super Summer!
Serves 4
4 (6-ounce) fillets Kvarøy Arctic Salmon, medium-thick even sliced
Chili Lime Vinaigrette, recipe follows
3 green onions
1 jalapeño, seeded and stemmed
3-4 radishes
Salsa Verde, recipe follows
Black Bean and Corn Quinoa, recipe follows
2 tablespoons Chili Lime seasoning
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup hot chili oil
12 whole cilantro sprigs or a light handful of leaves, washed and dried
Popped Quinoa (recipe follows) and fresh lime slices for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Place salmon on glass plate. Prepare Chili Lime Vinaigrette and spoon ¼ cup onto salmon to marinade for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
Cut green onions into 2-inch thin lengthwise strips; mince jalapeño and thinly slice radishes into julienne/matchsticks. Toss together.
Prepare Salsa Verde and Black Bean and Corn Quinoa.
Remove salmon from vinaigrette and coat well with Chili Lime seasoning. Heat skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil and then salmon show side down. Let cook for 2-3 minutes; turn and cook another 2 minutes
Place chili oil in another pan and carefully begin to heat.
Remove salmon from pan and place on serving plate. Sprinkle with green onion, jalapeño, radishes, and cilantro sprigs or leaves; Drizzle a bit of dressing over vegetables.
Right before serving (maybe even table side) spoon on smoking hot chili oil, and vegetable salad will sizzle and pop!
Spoon Black Bean and Corn Quinoa onto plate. Place salmon against the quinoa. Drizzle plate and a bit of the salmon with Salsa Verde, and garnish plate with lime slices and Popped Quinoa, if desired.
Salsa Verde
1 cup husked and rinsed tomatillos, coarsely chopped
1 medium jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/3 cup chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or Kosher salt, to taste
1 large avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and rough diced
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients but avocado in food processor. Using on/off turns, pulse mixture until smooth puree forms. Add diced avocado, and pulse the mixture once more.
Pour puree into medium bowl and season with additional Creole seasoning or salt, to taste. Cover and chill at least 1 hour to marry flavors.
Black Bean and Corn Quinoa
¾ cup quinoa
1 ¼ cup water
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1 cup fresh corn, cut from cob
1 cup drained and rinsed cooked black beans
1/4 cup finely diced shallots or red onions
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 whole avocado, halved, peeled, pitted and rough diced
¼ cup Chili Lime Vinaigrette, recipe below
½ cup chopped cilantro
DIRECTIONS
Prepare quinoa for cooking by rinsing the quinoa in a strainer several times with cold water.
In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add the water and Creole seasoning; bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover, and cook until the quinoa grains pop open, 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork; set aside to cool.
Add cooled quinoa, corn, black beans, shallots, and cherry tomatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle Chili Lime Vinaigrette over the ingredients and mix until combined. Add cilantro and gently toss.
Chili Lime Vinaigrette
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Chili Lime seasoning
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, whisk together fresh lime juice, vinegar, Dijon, honey, and Chili Lime seasoning. Slowly drizzle and whisk in olive oil.
Popped Quinoa
1/2 to 1 cup (pre-washed) quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat a heavy bottomed saucepan or a Dutch oven until hot.
Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan. If water forms bubbles right away, the pan is ready. Reduce the heat to medium to medium high, depending on the thickness of the pan.
Sprinkle about a tablespoon of seeds on the pan and let the seeds puff.
Shake the pan for even popping of the seeds.
Take care not to burn the popped seeds and transfer as soon as pops reduce.
Repeat to pop all the seeds.
