Moroccan Steamed Salmon with Quinoa and Carrots Recipe

For my last August recipe, I wanted to find something that was way out of my comfort zone. I keep hearing about how awesome Quinoa is and since I have never tried it, I knew that Quinoa would be part of this recipe.

Some interesting info about Quinoa – it’s closely related to spinach and beets! It’s also a “pseudocereal” which means it is like a grain but not exactly a grain. And get this – because of it’s nutritional properties – it’s being considered by NASA for future spaceflights! It’s like the 2012 Tang Lastly, it has taken me a while to pronounce Quinoa correctly – easiest is to say “KEEN-wah”.

I headed to Whole Foods to purchase the Quinoa – they sell 10 varieties in the bulk department. I ended up with the “Royal Rainbow Quinoa” which the store clerk told me is a combination of multiple varieties of Quinoa.

In the recipe below, I used water for the liquid to cook the Quinoa in. My sister suggested replacing the water with a vegetable or chicken broth to give the Quinoa some flavor.

Moroccan Steamed Salmon with Quinoa and Carrots Recipe:

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• Kosher salt
• 1.5 carrots or one large carrot, finely diced
• 1.5 cups cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 3 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 2 5-oz. fillets wild salmon, skin removed
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a small saucepan, bring water and 1/4 tsp. salt to a boil. Add quinoa and carrots and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Let quinoa rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Note: Be careful – I found that after about 15 minutes, the quinoa started to burn and I had to add a pinch more water.
2. Combine cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, chile flakes, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor. Process until smooth.
3. Cook the salmon using your favorite method. This is how you can steam the salmon: lightly season salmon with salt. Brush bottom of a metal steamer basket with oil. (If using a bamboo steamer, line bottom with a large leaf of lettuce or a piece of parchment
   paper.) Arrange fish in steamer and set over boiling water, covered, for 6 to 9 minutes, or until fish is cooked through.
4. Serve salmon over quinoa. Spoon cilantro sauce on top and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. I placed the cilantro sauce into a bowl (see image above) so that my guests can enjoy as much as they would like.

The original recipe for the Moroccan Steamed Salmon with Quinoa and Carrots can be found on Whole Living – thanks for the inspiration!

Check out some other groovy posts:

1. Baked Tilapia With Sweet Potato Fries
2. Lime-Seared Cod With Veggies Recipe
3. Balsamic Lemon Chicken with Spinach Recipe
4. The Most Awesome Raw Apple Snack