It’s been a busy month here at DW headquarters, cooking excellent new dishes for my new Substack community! I have long dreamed of a place that felt like the old-school blogging days: a private corner of the internet where like-minded people would share recipes and life and community. But with the social media boom and the rise of ads and thirty-second reels, I felt I got lost in the shuffle. Substack has been such a breath of fresh air!
Substack allows me to do what I love the most (cook! and be with you!) I am given unlimited space to provide recipes and long cooking videos, answer your questions, and provide substitutions and tips and tricks that I only sometimes can include in my cookbooks. And everyone who is there has signed up for the same authentic, genuine connection and I am so grateful!
Harissa Salmon
This Red Curry Salmon was one of the first recipes I posted to all subscribers on Substack, and it was a hit (both in my house and in the community)! Do you remember the Red Curry Salmon from my very first cookbook Against All Grain? If you don’t know it, it’s a super creamy and comforting dish of pan-seared salmon nestled into a bath of rich coconut milk and mild Thai curry seasonings.
This new recipe has more North African flavors as opposed to Thai because I’m currently loving anything with a harissa flavor. It’s mild though so don’t be intimidated! Plus, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to serve salmon to my family.
Salmon Substitute
One of my favorite features of Substack is the ease with which subscribers can ask questions and I can answer them personally and promptly.
A question I always get; can I sub a different protein? Not everyone is a fan of salmon (ahem…Ryan), or maybe you don’t have it on hand, or need a few shortcuts to speed this up because it’s 6 o’clock and everyone is hungry. Believe me, I get it!
Below you will find the full salmon recipe, but if you’d like a different protein substitute head over to the post on Substack. I offer an abundance of subs including kid-friendly options, how to make the dish night-shade free, some store-bought shortcuts, and more!
Gluten Free Couscous
The “couscous” in this dish is really not couscous, of course (since the real thing is made with durum wheat), but it’s a great gluten and grain-free stand-in. I’ve grown tired of plain cauliflower “rice,” but I still adore this one. It’s so full of flavor and texture, and I love the pop of herbs, lemon, and chewy dried fruit. I prefer the texture of grating the cauliflower yourself over buying store-bought pre-grated cauliflower rice (mostly all stalks). But, I do fall back on the frozen brand I list on Substack often for convenience.
Meet me in the kitchen
One of my favorite things about Substack is that I get to invite you into my test kitchen and show you the process of developing a recipe (we made ten batches of Grain-Free Pound Cake before we nailed it!) or cook the dish in front of you so you really can join me in the kitchen!
And if you learn better by watching than by reading, my Substack has some fantastic videos — big, juicy, longform ones where you can cook along with me if you’d like!
If you haven’t already, I’d love to have you join me on Substack! There are two subscription options — a paid and a free — and each comes with its own perks. Select whichever option is best for you!
The recipe is below, but if you head to the post on Substack, you will find a downloadable PDF!
I hope to see you there!
More Weeknight Salmon Dinners
Cali-Salmon Bowl
Blackened Grilled Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa
Asian Glazed Salmon with Roasted Broccoli and Asparagus
Red Pepper Salmon with Roasted Almond Cauli Couscous
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the “Cauli-couscous”:
- 1 head cauliflower, riced in a food processor
- 1/4 cup currants or chopped golden raisins
- Juice of 1 small lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- I teaspoon Healthy in a Hurry Tagine seasoning*
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- handful of fresh spearmint leaves
For the Seasoned Salmon:
- 4 salmon filets, about 4 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Spicy Red Pepper Sauce:
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Spices: 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of ancho chile powder, ½ tsp sea salt , ¼ tsp red pepper flakes*
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add avocado oil.
- Add the chopped red bell peppers to the skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until they start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Spoon the peppers into the food processor and add the seasoned salmon filets to the skillet skin side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and flaky. Remove the salmon and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the riced cauliflower, currants, lemon juice, chopped roasted almonds, chopped parsley, seasonings, and sea salt. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and golden. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the spicy red pepper sauce. To the food processor, add honey, lemon juice, paprika, ancho chile powder, sea salt, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, garlic cloves, and remaining avocado oil. Process until smooth. Pour the sauce into the empty skillet and simmer on medium-high heat, until thickened, 3-5 minutes.
- Return the cooked salmon filets to the skillet, nestling them in the red pepper sauce.
- Serve the salmon over a bed of the roasted almond cauliflower couscous. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the salmon filets and top with fresh mint.
5/14/24
Red Pepper Salmon with Roasted Almond Cauli Couscous
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