You won’t believe the crackling salmon skin you’ll get if you follow those rules. Simple steamed quinoa and carrots get dressed in a delicious and addictive garlicky lemon dressing. Cook, relax and enjoy!
What you'll need: ¾ cup quinoa 1 oz raw pistachios ½ tsp whole coriander seed 1 garlic clove 1 lemon ¼ tsp crushed red pepper 8 oz carrots 2 6-oz skin-on salmon fillets fresh cilantro coarse salt olive oil freshly ground black pepper
Equipment: small saucepan rimmed baking sheet small skillet microplane steamer basket large nonstick skillet
Recipe steps: 1. Cook quinoa Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Place in a small saucepan with 1½ cups water and a pinch salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, 15 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve.
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Toast pistachios Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 6–8 minutes. Let cool then roughly chop. While nuts toast, warm coriander in a small dry skillet, swirling occasionally until fragrant, about 1 minute. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
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Make dressing Grate garlic using a microplane or finely chop and add to a large bowl. Halve lemon and squeeze half over garlic. Add coriander, crushed red pepper and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
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Steam carrots Peel carrots and cut into bite-size pieces. Fill a small saucepan with 1-inch of water and fit with a steamer basket. Bring to a simmer and add carrots. Cover and steam until just tender, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with dressing, and toss to combine.
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Cook fish Pat fish dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. When oil is shimmering, add fish skin-side down and cook until golden and crisp, 4–5 minutes. Flip and cook to desired doneness, 2–4 minutes. Transfer to plates.
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Finish Pick cilantro leaves and tender stems from sprigs, add to carrots and toss to combine. Cut remaining lemon half into wedges. Serve salmon skin-side up with quinoa, carrot salad and lemon wedges. Enjoy!