Wild Salmon with Pearl Couscous, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, and Lemon Oregano Oil

Grammy is starting to run out of ideas of what to cook. Mom doesn't want heavy stuff. Don't tell her I told, but my mother used to be a vegetarian and she still is not the best meat eater. Oh, I am not saying that she doesn't eat burgers and steak and stuff, but she gets sick of meat fast. So Grammy had to wrack her brain on what to cook. Fish! Salmon! Grammy then had to go hunting for a recipe that sounded good. Thank god she finally found this one because she was making me go a little crazy with the "what do you guys feel like eating" thing.

So first she roasted tomatoes. Big deal. Anyone can do that. She also made this oil with basil and lemon and oregano. The oregano smells just like the hippy hand sanitizer that she uses before she holds me.



Next she made this stuff that looked like little balls. I think she said it is called Koo Koo.



My Grammy cracks me up. She is a little bit of a weirdo but she is MY Grammy. Shhhh. It will be our little secret that I think she is a little bit...ya know.



She got really excited that mom and dad have a lemon tree and she didn't have to spend 1.00 a piece for a lemon.



She was also happy to have something called wine that was from California. She acts even weirder after she drinks this stuff (I think she called it Swill).



So dinner came out really good I heard them say. Mom and dad liked it and Grammy felt like she did something useful.



I am glad that I don't get involved with any of that stuff. Oh, here is what the dinner looked like before the grownups ate it all.



Ok, I just wanna go to bed now.



Wild Salmon with Pearl Couscous, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, and Lemon Oregano Oil
Gourmet | April 2005

printable version

For tomatoes and lemon oregano oil
6 plum tomatoes (1 lb), halved lengthwise
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 fresh basil leaves
12 whole fresh oregano leaves plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler and finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For couscous
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous (12 oz) (I used Israeli couscous)
1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

For salmon
6 (6-oz) pieces wild salmon fillet with skin (preferably center cut)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives (3 oz), pitted and quartered lengthwise
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Roast tomatoes and prepare oil:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.
Toss tomatoes with sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and arrange, cut sides down, in a small shallow baking pan. Heat oil in a 9- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in basil and whole oregano leaves, then pour oil over tomatoes. Roast tomatoes until very tender but not falling apart, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours.
Transfer tomatoes with a spatula to a large plate, then pour oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl or measuring cup, discarding solids. Stir in chopped oregano, zest, juice, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Cook couscous:
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then toast couscous, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, water, and salt and simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon oregano oil. Season with salt.

Roast salmon while couscous stands:
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F. Line a 17- by 12-inch shallow baking pan with foil.
Arrange salmon, skin sides down, in baking pan, then drizzle with olive oil, rubbing it over tops of fillets, and sprinkle with salt. Roast salmon until just cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.
Divide couscous among 6 plates. Lift salmon flesh from skin with a slotted spatula and transfer a fillet to each bed of couscous. Put 2 tomato halves on each plate, then sprinkle salmon with olives and drizzle with some lemon oregano oil.