Salmon, Zucchini, and Pickle Dinner

Its hot like a furnace in Texas, and I hardly ever feel like cooking these days. I’ve been trying to minimize kitchen time, and this meal was perfect in its simplicity.

I dressed two filets of salmon up with a simple coriander rub, similar to my previous Coriander Rubbed Chicken, but with slight variations. The fish was seared with a lid on to lock moisture in. It came out juicy and flaky, just like it should!

I also scored a jar of Basia’s Pickles, which manages to be sweet, tart, and dill-y all at the same time. I knew it would pair well with this dinner.

Just look at that stuff!

I cooked up yellow squash and zucchini in the Instant Pot since my kid likes them well cooked and soft. I tossed them with cajun seasoning & 2 tablespoons of my onion-tomato paste, and pressure cooked them for 5 minutes.

The three things complemented each other perfectly, not to mention my gorgeous plate that I painted myself! 🙂

Coriander Rubbed Salmon:

• 0.8 lbs salmon filet (2 equal pcs of 0.4 lbs each)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp white sesame seeds
• pinch of aniseeed
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic paste, or 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp avocado oil

1. Coarsely grind together the four seeds (coriander, pepper, sesame, anise).
2. Wash and pat dry the filets. Rub all over with avocado oil, then garlic paste.
3. Rub in the turmeric, then pat on the salt & spices on all non-skin sides.
4. Sear to taste till internal temp of 145 deg is reached.

Veggie medley:

• 2 tbsp onion-tomato paste (This recipe from My Heart Beets, which forms the base for a lot of Indian food)
• 2 yellow squash
• 2 zucchini
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning (mine is salty and I use it as a seasoned salt)
• 1/2 cup water

1. Dice the veggies (I quarter lengthwise & then make thick slices), then toss all ingredients into Instant Pot and mix thoroughly.
2. Set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Natural release. Its ready to serve!

Basia’s Pickles:

Head over to the website. Find a local retailer, or order online. Easy peasy.