Sauteed Salmon on Orange Lentils

  • Yield: servings

Ingredients

3tablespoons white wine or verjuice
2tablespoons lemon juice
-- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4-- 7-oz salmon steaks
-- olive oil spray
1/2cup puy-style lentils, rinsed and drained
-- chicken stock, to cover
1tablespoon olive oil
1-- onion, finely chopped
1/2-- red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2-- celery stalk, finely chopped
1-- carrot, finely chopped
2cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2cup fresh orange juice
-- grated zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  1. Combine the white wine, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a nonmetallic bowl, add the salmon, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate while you cook the lentils.
  2. To make the orange lentils, place the lentils in a saucepan and cover with stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in another saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, red pepper, celery, and carrot for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, drained lentils, orange juice, and most of the orange zest (reserve a little to garnish) and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium–low and cook gently while you prepare the salmon, adding more stock if required.
  4. Remove the salmon from the marinade. Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, spray well with oil, and add the salmon. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or longer, according to taste.
  5. Meanwhile, to make the apple balsamic glaze, place all the ingredients in a glass jar with a lid and shake well. Gently warm through in a small saucepan.
  6. To serve, ladle the lentils into the center of four plates, place the salmon on top, and drizzle with the warm glaze. Sprinkle with the reserved orange zest.
  7. Try serving the salmon on Snow Pea, Avocado and Orange Salad (page 143). Or replace the lentils with well-rinsed quinoa.
  8. Sometimes I stir in a teaspoon each of cumin and pomegranate molasses when adding the garlic.

Recipes from High Protein, Low GI, Bold Flavor: Recipes to Boost Health and Promote Weight Loss, copyright © Fiona Carns, 2012. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold.