Salmon with Pepper and Cilantro Quinoa

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the dry quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve and drain. Remove the pepper stems and seeds, then finely dice the measured pepper flesh. Chop the cilantro.

2. 2

   Put the quinoa, water, all three peppers, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper into a wide, heavy-bottomed, 4-litre saucepan or sauté pan about 28 cm across. Bring to a steady simmer over medium-high heat, allowing about 6–8 minutes.

3. 3

   Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the raw salmon on a separate board: remove any pin bones and divide into four equal portions, ideally 2–3 cm thick. Season with the remaining 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Wash your hands and clean any surfaces and utensils that touched the raw fish.

4. 4

   Set the salmon in a single layer on top of the quinoa, skin-side down if skin-on. Immediately replace the lid and maintain a gentle simmer over low heat for 12–15 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and the salmon reaches 63°C/145°F in its thickest part. If needed, continue covered cooking in 2-minute intervals until that temperature is reached.

5. 5

   Using a clean spatula, transfer the salmon to four plates and cover loosely to keep warm. Take the pan off the heat and leave the quinoa covered for 5 minutes to absorb the remaining moisture.

6. 6

   Fluff the quinoa with a fork and fold in all the cilantro. Divide between the plates, arrange the salmon over it and drizzle the olive oil evenly over all four portions.