“This dish was inspired by a staff meal I’d order during a summer waiting tables at a five-star, world-renowned fine-dining restaurant on Galiano Island,” says Kristy Gardner, author of the 2018 Silver-winning cookbook, Cooking with Cocktails. “Don’t be afraid of the number of ingredients—this Moroccan-influenced dish comes together in just over half an hour and is one of the few in the book that’s both gluten-free and dairy-free.”
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Martini Puttanesca & Seared Salmon
Servings 2 people
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried green or brown lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon capers rinsed
- 1/3 cup black Moroccan olives pitted and chpped
- 2 preserved lemons flesh discarded, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 cup canned tomatoes diced
- 3/4 cup good-quality gin
- 1/4 cup dry vermouth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Two 6-ounce fillets salmon deboned
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place 2 1/2 cups water, lentils, and bay leaf in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and allow the lentils to cook through, about 30 minutes, adding more boiling water if necessary. You should see just a few bubbles coming to the top to ensure they don’t go mushy. Refrain from adding salt until they’re finished, or they’ll remain crunchy. When four or five lentils are cooked through (no crunch but still intact), drain of any remaining liquid and discard the bay leaf.
- When 10 minutes are left on the lentils, drizzle the olive oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onion, capers, olives, and preserved lemons. Stirring often, cook until the onion is just beginning to caramelize.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and continue to sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes, gin, vermouth, and lemon juice. Lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Add the cooked lentils, taste, and add salt and black pepper, if necessary. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
- As the vegetables and lentils cook, fry your fish. Drizzle the vegetable oil into a medium frying pan over medium heat. Pat dry the fish fillets, using a paper towel, and season generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the hot pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is crispy, then turn and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for 3 minutes before serving on the lentils. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges.