Salmon, Spinach, Cucumber and Grains Bowl

(My modified, and slightly simplified [and 1 less pan to clean! bonus!] version of the dish on Goop.com).

The flavors combine so deliciously – seriously – anyone who eats this will think you’re a kitchen maverick.  And you’ll never have to tell them how easy it was….

Total Prep/Cook Time: 30-35 minutes (It’s not my simplest recipe, I wont lie.  But it’s soooooo good).

Ingredients: (4 servings)

• For the bowl
• 2 cups quinoa, rinsed
• 2 1/3 cups water
• salt
• 4 cups packed spinach, roughly chopped
• 4 x 4-ounce pieces of wild salmon
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

For the pickled cucumbers – my favorite part – yes, you’re going to make your own pickles.  And yes, it’s going to take 5 minutes.

• 4 small pickling cucumbers (or about 1/2 of those long English cucumbers)- whatever you use, you want it to be thin, with minimal seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (optional – I just asked the man at my grocery store’s sushi counter for a little bit of ginger, and then chopped it myself, instead of finely grating)
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• water to cover

For the sauce

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• sesame oil
• 4 teaspoons kimchi juice (I know, it sounds funny, but you’ll love it)

To Cook:

1. Start by making the pickles.  Thinly slice the cucumber, and add all ingredients,  then just enough water to over.  Let that marinate at room temperature while you prepare everything else.
2. Combine quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a large pot (you’ll need to have room for the quinoa and the spinach- my medium saucepan didn’t work when I tried to add in the spinach later).  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover, and cook for 12 minutes.
3. Remove quinoa from heat, and stir in spinach and another pinch of salt.  Cover the pot with a paper towel and then the lid, and let the mixture steam for 10 minutes.
4. Cover a roasting pan with foil (to make cleaning a snap, naturally) and preheat your oven to broil.
5.  Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil on each filet of salmon, and rub it over the salmon piece.  Season each filet with salt and pepper, and place on the foil.
6. Broil salmon for 8-12 minutes, checking at 8 minutes and frequently after, until the salmon pieces flake easily.
7. To make the sauce, just whisk together all ingredients into a small bowl.
8. When it’s all ready (I know, a lot of steps this time!), place quinoa and spinach in the base of the bowl, then top with salmon, avocado, and pickled cucumbers. Garnish each bowl with sauce and sesame seeds.

And…writing this just made me hungry.  Too bad I’ve eaten all of the leftovers of this dish.  Le Sigh. Enjoy