caribbean ginger salmon + cucumber relish + rice pilaf

We revisited an old favorite this week, a simple meal we all love. Very healthy and fresh. Instead of using quinoa today I made a middle eastern flavored rice pilaf and it was delicious! It looks a bit involved at first glance but it's not. You make a simple marinade for the salmon, another simple one for the cucumbers and the rice is basically just stir frying rice with a couple veggie and spices. The whole combination is fantastic.

Caribbean Ginger Salmon
* 1 tablespoon tamari or shoyu
* 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
* 3 tablespoons lime juice
* 1 teaspoon agave nectar (or sugar)
* 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pound salmon fillet

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put tamari, 2 tablespoons of oil, gingerroot, lime juice, agave, and garlic in a small mixing bowl; whisk together. Place fish in a shallow pan and pour marinade over the top. Marinate 1/2-1 hour in the refrigerator.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Place fish in pan skin side up, saute one minute, then turn and saute second side one minute. Leave fish in the skillet and place in oven. Bake until fish is almost cooked through (7-10 minutes). Remove skillet from oven and place on stove. Add remaining marinade and deglaze the pan, letting the liquid reduce some before serving.

Cucumber Relish

* 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
* 1 serrano or jalapeno chile, minced
* 1 scallion, minced
* 1/4 white onion, diced
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
* 1 tablespoon lime juice
* 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 2 tablespoons sugar

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Gently stir until salt and sugar have dissolved. Allow mixture to marinate at least 20 minutes. Can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. (I didn't have a jalapeno today so I just put a few drops of the green Tabasco sauce I had.)

Rice Pilaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch ground cinnamon
1/4 cup dried currants
3 cups basmati rice, cooked
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; more to taste

Saute onion in olive oil and butter. Add spices and saute a bit more. Add cooked rice (I keep my rice on the very moist side for this dish), and currants. Mix. Finish by adding the mint (optional), almonds, and lemon juice.