In this simple, elegant dish, crispy salmon pairs perfectly with a creamy, lemony salad of orzo pasta and refreshing vegetables. (To give the pan-seared salmon its delicate crunch, we’re letting it cook nearly through on the skin side. Once turned, it needs only another minute or so.) The whole meal gets a sweet, aromatic lift from fresh dill, which forms a classically delicious trio with the salmon and lemon—and makes for a gorgeous garnish.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Skin-On Salmon Fillets
- 4 oz Orzo Pasta
- 3 oz Green Beans
- 2 Garlic
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Dill
- 1 Parsley
- 1 Shallot
- 1/4 c Sour Cream
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Snap off and discard the green bean stems; cut into 1-inch pieces on an angle. Peel and mince the garlic and shallot. Peel the cucumber, leaving alternating strips of skin intact. Halve the cucumber lengthwise; scoop out and discard the seeds, then medium dice. Finely chop the parsley leaves and stems. Pick the dill fronds off the stems; discard the stems and finely chop half the fronds, leaving the rest whole. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the lemon.
Cook the orzo:
Add the orzo to the pot of boiling water and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly; rinse under warm water for 30 seconds to 1 minute to prevent sticking. Return the cooked orzo to the pot.
Cook the green beans:
While the orzo cooks, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the green beans; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Remove from heat.
Make the orzo salad:
To the pot of cooked orzo, add the cooked green beans, sour cream, cucumber, parsley, chopped dill, lemon zest, the juice of 2 lemon wedges and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to thoroughly combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Rinse and wipe out the pan used to cook the green beans.
Cook the salmon:
Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned fillets, skin sides down; cook 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until crispy. Flip and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat.
Plate your dish:
Divide the orzo salad between 2 dishes. Top with the cooked salmon fillets. Garnish with the whole dill fronds and remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!