Crispy Sesame Salmon with Quinoa Salad and Tahini Sauce

Crispy Sesame Salmon with Quinoa Salad and Tahini Sauce

Prep Time: 25 - 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 - 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Quinoa salad

• ¾ cup dried quinoa 

• 1 cup shelled edamame beans (thawed, if frozen)

• 2 persian cucumbers, cut into small cubes (~1 cup)

• ½ cup cilantro leaves

• 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced

• ½ cup chopped roasted cashews (salted or unsalted)

• Black pepper

• Kosher salt

Tahini sauce

• ½ cup tahini 

• 1 tbsp grated ginger

• ½ tbsp sesame oil 

• 1-2 tsp honey

• Juice of ½ lime 

• 1-2 tbsp tamari

• Water, to thin 

Crispy sesame salmon

• 4 fillets atlantic salmon (5-7 oz center cut section)

• ¼ cup sesame seeds 

• Kosher salt

• Neutral oil (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the dried quinoa according to package directions. Once it’s finished cooking, allow it to cool to room temperature while you prepare the rest of the salad. 

2. Make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, add the tahini, grated ginger, sesame oil, honey, juice of ½ a lime, 1 tbsp tamari (to start), and 2-3 tbsp water. Whisk until combined and a paste forms. Adjust to taste with more tamari or lime. Continue to add water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the sauce is smooth and runny. Set aside. 

3. In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa, edamame beans, cucumber, cilantro, cashews, scallions, a pinch of kosher salt and a few cracks of black pepper. 

4. Drizzle in about ½ of the tahini sauce. Mix until well incorporated, and adjust to taste with more sauce and kosher salt. Save some of the tahini sauce to drizzle on top of the salmon. 

5. Pat the fillets of salmon dry with a paper towel. Season generously with kosher salt on all sides. 

6. On a small plate, spread out the sesame seeds. Working with one fillet at a time, place the salmon skin-side up into the sesame seeds (so you are coating the flesh part of the salmon). Gently press the salmon into the sesame seeds. Set aside and repeat with the other pieces of salmon. 

7. Place the salmon skin-side down onto a cold cast iron pan (if your cast iron is looking a bit dry, rub a little bit of neutral oil into the pan to season it). 

8. Place the cast iron over medium heat, and cook the salmon for 10-12 minutes on the first side (this will vary depending how thick your salmon is. Signs to look for: As the salmon cooks, you will see some of the fat from the salmon begin to render. You are essentially frying the salmon in its own fat. You’ll know it is ready to flip when the salmon looks about 75% of the way cooked through on the sides, and the skin has released from the pan and is a dark golden brown. 

9. Flip the salmon and continue cooking for another few minutes, then remove from the heat.

10. Spoon the quinoa salad into individual bowls, then serve the sesame salmon on top. Finish with a tahini sauce drizzle.