Recipe: Summery Seafood Dish

Before our dinnertime becomes all about turkey, chili and warming soups with the start of fall, squeeze in one last summery seafood dish before September comes to a close.  This salmon recipe from chef Akos Szabo of Top of the Rock restaurant at The Buttes Resort in Phoenix features grapefruit, Greek yogurt, red quinoa and other healthful and delicious ingredients that will please any seafoodie’s palate.
Shetland Scottish Salmon
2 ea 8oz pcs of Scottish Salmon (or salmon of choice)
8 oz red quinoa
4 oz fossil creek goats milk yogurt
1 oz extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp vanilla salt
½ tsp ground szechwan peppercorn
10 ea castelvetrano olives (or olive of your choice)
2 cups vegetable stock (or any stock of choice)
1 cup small diced english cucumber
1 ea carrot
1 ea celery rib (reserve celery leaves for garnish)
1 ea bay leaf
1 tbl moldon sea salt
1 ea grapefruit
1 tsp grapefruit zest
3 ea green onions (scallions)
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Start by making veg stock.
3. In a small sauce pan, place green onions, carrot, celery, bay leaf and half of the moldon sea salt and 4 cups of water.
4. Bring liquid to a quick boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.
5. In a small baking pan, place red quinoa in oven for 10-15 minutes until quinoa is lightly toasted and has a nice nutty aroma.
6. Add the quinoa to the vegetable stock, cover, and continue to simmer until quinoa is fully bloomed, tender and fluffy.
7. While quinoa is cooking, in a small mixing bowl, mix yogurt, diced cucumber, grapefruit zest and half vanilla salt.
8. Place bowl in fridge and reserve for later.
9. Cut away all the skin of grapefruit exposing the flesh. With a small paring knife, cut out segments of grapefruit and set aside in a small bowl for garnish. If your choice of olive has not been pitted, press the olives with palm of your hand and crush the olive exposing the pit and remove.
10. Season both pieces of salmon on both sides with salt and pink peppercorn.
11. Heat a medium sauté pan on high heat. When hot, add half tsp of olive oil and gently place the salmon flesh side down in pan and cook until flesh is golden brown.
12. Flip fish over and place in 400 F oven and cook to desired temperature. (Chef’s recommendation is medium rare to medium to ensure proper moisture, texture and flavor of fish.)
13. To finish, place warm quinoa plate. Top with pan seared salmon. To garnish, top salmon with cucumber yogurt, grapefruit segments, crushed olives, remaining vanilla salt and celery leaves. Drizzle remaining olive oil and serve.
Yield: two portions.