
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: One 4-oz. piece of roasted salmon with ½ cup watercress or spinach and 1 cup of the black bean-quinoa salad.
For the Black Bean-Quinoa Salad
¾ cup quinoa
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups black beans, canned, drained, and rinsed
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 large red pepper, roasted, seeded, peeled and diced (okay to use canned)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno chiles, diced
½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
For the Salmon
1 ½ pounds salmon, cut into six 4-oz. fillets
For Color on the Plate & Extra Vegetables
3 cups watercress or baby spinach
For the Dressing
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- For the quinoa: In a bowl, wash the quinoa in at least 3 changes of cold water, rubbing the grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of the water until the water runs clear; drain in a large fine sieve.
- Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot and add the quinoa. Lower the heat and cover; cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork to break up any clumps.
- For the salmon: Place salmon fillets on a baking sheet skin side down and roast for 10-15 minutes, depending on how well you want your salmon cooked in the 400 degree F oven.
- While the quinoa is cooking and the salmon is roasting, toss the beans with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes before draining off excess liquid.
- Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the drained beans, red bell pepper, red onions, jalapeños, and cilantro; toss gently to combine.
- For the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Add the oil in a stream, whisking continuously. Use 2 tablespoons of the dressing to lightly dress your watercress or baby spinach. Use the rest of the dressing in the black bean-quinoa mixture. NOTE: You can make the black bean-quinoa salad up to one day in advance; refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving. The salad tastes best when served at room temperature.
- To serve: Mound ½ cup of watercress or salmon on a plate and top with 1 cup of the black bean-quinoa salad. Top with roasted salmon and serve.
Nutrition Information per Serving
Calories: 475, saturated fat: 5 g, monounsaturated fat: 17 g, polyunsaturated fat: 5 g, cholesterol: 58 mg, protein: 31 g, carbohydrate: 27g, dietary fiber: 5g, sodium: 500 mg, potassium: 975 mg
Recipe created by The Culinary Institute of America