Salmon Sauté on Bed of Basmati Rice
Pan-seared salmon fillets set on basmati rice with a colorful spring vegetable and morel mushroom medley — a light dish you can largely prep the day before.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tbs. sweet butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup peeled baby carrots
- 1¼ lbs. fresh peas in the pod
- 1 cup white pearl onions
- 4 oz. fresh morel mushrooms (spring only)
- 3 tbs. sweet butter
- 2 tbs. + 1 tbs. fresh chopped Italian parsley
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz. each
- ½ cup flour
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Cook the rice with the water, salt and butter, covered, about 10 minutes on medium-low, then let sit 5 minutes off the heat.
Julienne the carrots and shell the peas. Blanch the pearl onions 5 minutes, cool, then peel and halve. Blanch the carrots and peas 3 minutes and shock in ice water. Rinse and halve the morels.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat until it starts to color, add all the vegetables and cook 2 minutes, then add a splash of stock and cook 3-4 minutes more, stirring. Season, stir in parsley, cover and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Season and lightly flour the fillets, sear floured-side down for 1 minute, then transfer the whole pan to the oven for 6 minutes more.
Plate rice, top with the vegetables and pan juices, then the salmon. Garnish with parsley.