Grilled Salmon & Citrus Pistachio Couscous Salad

Photo courtesy American Pistachio Growers

While we all know about the seemingly endless downsides of the Covid pandemic, there is a surprising upside: It has changed how we eat seafood.

For many, seafood was a “restaurant” food, something that was only eaten outside of the home and not ever prepared at home. But as eateries were closed, many people became more adventurous and started including various types of seafood on their menus at home.

For me, as a dietitian, I was happy to see this. Over the years, when I have tried to persuade clients on the benefits of cooking seafood, I encountered many excuses for not including it at home.

A common one was simply being unfamiliar with how to cook it and so it was easier to have it at an eatery. As well, somehow many people think the preparation may be time-consuming. But, in fact, seafood is fast food. It’s cooked in a flash.

Then there’s the nutritional aspects, especially of cold water fatty fish like salmon that are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. But other fish also offer numerous health benefits. Stay tuned for some posts about the health perks of fish protein.

Here’s a tasty fish dish, adapted from the American Pistachio Growers.

Grilled Salmon & Citrus Pistachio Couscous Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Grilled Salmon
4, 8-ounce salmon fillets
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Citrus Couscous Pistachio Salad
Juice of 2 oranges
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup couscous, preferably whole wheat
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced small
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup shelled pistachios, chopped

Dressing
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions
For Couscous
Cook couscous according to directions on box, using chicken broth in place of water. Once cooked, add orange juice and salt and mix well. Fold in cucumber, red bell pepper and pistachios.

For Dressing
Mix all ingredients for dressing in bowl and whisk.

For Salmon
Preheat grill or broiler. Brush salmon with olive oil. Place on hot grates or in grill pan and grill 5-8 minutes per side, until it looks opaque and has a slightly rosy center when pierced with the tip of a knife.

Serve fillets with couscous salad, with extra mint and lemon if desired.