Ten-Minute Broiled Salmon with Mediterranean Farro Salad
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What does this food offer in terms of nutrients and physical nourishment?
Protein (salmon, farro)
Carbohydrates (farro, veggies)
Fat (olive oil, salmon)
Fiber (veggies, farro)
Other (farro is a good source of trace minerals, salmon is a good source of not only omega 3 fatty acids but also B vitamins and astaxanthin, an antioxidant)
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What does this food offer in terms of mental satisfaction through flavor, texture, and experience?
Acidic
Chewy
Tender
Fresh
Flaky
Crispy
Savory
Salty
My go-to summer dishes usually include a mix of fresh and cooked foods. I find that although fully raw dishes satisfy my desire for cool foods in the heat, they don’t really digest as well for me. I add a few cooked elements to give my gut a break, balance out the crunchy texture of raw veggies, and help keep me satisfied overall. To keep my kitchen and house cool, I tend to use my oven for as little time as possible. Enter: broiled salmon. Although using the broiler introduces high heat, the salmon takes only ten minutes to cook.
While the salmon in this recipe is easy and straightforward, farro can be trickier. Often the packaging won’t indicate how processed the grain is. The more a grain is processed, the quicker it cooks because more of the grain’s outer layers have been removed. For example, you may be familiar with how quickly white rice cooks in comparison to brown rice. Similarly, pearled farro will take significantly shorter to cook while whole farro can take upwards of 45 minutes. For that reason, I’ve listen the cook time to be 45 minutes but in reality, yours could be done cooking in less than 20!
Allergens: Fish, wheat/gluten
Servings: 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
Salmon
2 4 oz portions of fresh (or fully thawed, if frozen) salmon
1 tsp high heat cooking oil of choice (I prefer to use avocado oil)
Salt and pepper to taste
Farro salad
1/2 cup farro, rinsed thoroughly
2 cups water
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber, peeled (optional) and diced to 1/2” cubes
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/2 shallot, minced
1 tbsp capers
Handful of fresh chopped parsley (to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring farro and water to boil.
Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 20-45 minutes (see note above) or until farro grain has popped open and the texture is soft yet chewy comparable to an al dente noodle.
Drain, if necessary, and rinse with cold water. Add to a large mixing bowl.
To the same mixing bowl, add vegetables, capers and olives, fresh parsley, and mix thoroughly.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate.
To start the salmon, turn broiler on high (500F).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (be sure to fold down edges to prevent burning under broiler).
Pat salmon dry and spray or brush with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Broil for 10 minutes or until top is crispy and inside is flaky and still moist.
Transfer salad into serving dishes and top with salmon. Finish with additional fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
