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Grilled Salmon with Fennel & Quinoa Salad

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cooked Red Quinoa
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced  save some of the fronds for garnish
  • 1&1/2 cups watercress or arugula
  • 2 salmon fillet, 6 ounces each skinless
  • 1/4 tsp sumac
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 persian cucumber, sliced into half moons
  • 1/4 tsp paprika powder

Dill & Cilantro Chimichurri

  • 1/3 cup fresh dill
  • 3/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 large lemon, zest and juice
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 serrano pepper

Instructions
 

Dill & Cilantro Chimichurri

  • Pulse herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic , serrano pepper in a food processor. Scrape sides if needed. Then slowly stream in olive oil as the food processor is running. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Storage: You can use the chimichurri immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Grilled Salmon Marinade

  • Pat dry the salmon fillet. Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, sumac and drizzle some olive oil.
  • Top the salmon fillet with 2 tbsps of the Dill & Cilantro Chimichurri. Reserve the Chimichurri for the salad dressing. You can use your clean hands to spread the Chimichurri all over the salmon.
    Allow the salmon to sit in the marinade for 5-10 minutes.

Cooking the Salmon

  • You can can cook the salmon in an outside grill, inside grill or in the oven.
  • Reserve the marinade to brush over the salmon while it's cooking.
    Charcoal Grill: Place the salmon on the grill and brush some of the leftover marinade flipping them every few minutes until juicy and cooked, about 9-10 minutes.
    Indoor Grill Pan: I used a grill pan and cooked the salmon on each side until i got some nice grill marks and then I placed it in the oven on 450 F to finish baking for about 6 minutes or until buttery, juicy and cooked. Make sure to not overcook them.
    Oven: Arrange all the salmon on a large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet about 5 – 6 inches below broiler. Bake the salmon for about 4 – 5 minutes on one side and then turn over each salmon. Bake the other side for about another 4 minutes or until cooked through fully and just starting to char.

Fennel & Quinoa Salad

  • In a large bowl, add the thinly sliced Fennel, watercress, cooked quinoa and cucumber. Dress the salad with 3 tbsp of the Dill & Cilantro Chimichurri. Taste and season with salt, black pepper and additional lemon juice to your liking.
  • Tope the cooked salmon with some of the reserved leftover Dill & Cilantro Chimichurri and serve with the Fennel & Quinoa Salad.