Salmon with spicy quinoa, lentils & tzatziki
Ingredients
Serves 2
For the salmon:
- 2 salmon fillets, skin on
- Drizzle rapeseed oil
- A pinch of Maldon sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the quinoa & lentils
- 100g Puy lentils, rinsed in a fine sieve
- 50g quinoa, rinsed in a fine sieve
- 700ml cold water
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 1 teaspoon bouillon or a stock cube
For the tzatziki:
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated on the large grate
- 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Timings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Salmon with spicy quinoa, lentils & tzatziki
I used to spend summer cooking in a villa in Corfu, which is where I learnt this delicious traditional tzatziki recipe. It makes simply baked salmon really sing!
Method
Preheat the oven to 180/350/gas 4.
Start by preparing the tzatziki. Place the grated cucumber in a small sieve and rest over a bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and leave for 30 minutes.
While you are waiting for the cucumber to salt, you can prepare the quinoa and lentils by placing them in a sieve and rinsing well with cold water. Then place them in a saucepan and cover them with the cold water. Add the vegetable bouillon or stock cube and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover for 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, you will have time to cook the salmon. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the salmon on the tray, skin side down. Pour over the lemon juice, oil and white wine and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until the salmon flesh is firm. Once it is cooked, remove it from the oven place to one side.
When the lentils and quinoa are ready, drain them and season to taste. By now the cucumber should be ready too. Squeeze out all the excess juice and put the grated cucumber in a mixing bowl. Mix in the yoghurt, garlic, oil, lemon and pepper. Taste and add more salt, lemon or pepper as necessary.
Serve with a large wedge of lemon. Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD OR PRINT RECIPE HERE.
Quinoa and lentils are a perfect blend of texture – the lentils are nutty and softly firm while the quinoa ‘pops’ in your mouth. I love adding flavours to the water. Adding star anise, a cinnamon stick and a clove of garlic is my new favouriteĀ combo and is equally delicious with roast chicken.”
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