Salmon and Beetroot Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

The cooking steps look terrifying—yes, I understand, and I admit that this salad does take some time and effort to make. (Now you know why in restaurants they charge so much.) Yet, it’s still worth trying since salmon, beetroot, and lemon match so well (and healthy too!).

A Few Cooking Notes

• Beetroot: I followed Samin’s ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat’ cookbook to make the roast beetroots. The outcome did taste great, but it took me more than an hour! Next time I’d cut it into smaller pieces and roast. Or do this step in advance to avoid putting yourself in trouble.
• Salmon: If possible, buy salmon that is already scaled or skinless—less fuss and no need to change the chopping board.
• Quinoa: Don’t have quinoa? Try couscous (especially the giant one); it works well, too!

Salmon and Beetroot Quinoa Salad Recipe

There are 4 main parts in this salad recipe, and none of them is difficult to cook. My advice: read through all the steps to get the whole picture first, so that you can be well organise while cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 2

For the Quinoa

• 100-120 g quinoa
  • ½ tsp salted vegetable bouillon powder
  • salt and pepper
• 3 portions frozen spinach

For the Salmon

• 2 frozen salmon fillet, thawed
• 2 large mushrooms
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• salt and pepper

For the Beetroot

• 2-3 small beetroots
• 1 ½ tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

For the Lemon Vinaigrette

• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar / cider vinegar
• ½ juice and zest of a lemon
• a generous pinch of salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

How to Make

1. Start with the beetroot. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Trim the beetroots’ top and end, and place them on a parchment-lined tray. Pour in 5mm-high water and wrap tightly with foil. Roast for an hour or until they can be pierced through. Required time varies on different sizes. I recommend having a check after 40 minutes or so. Add more water if required.
2. Prepare the spinach. When roasting the beetroots, steam the spinach for about 10-13 minutes until it is heated through. Drain and set aside.
3. Cook the quinoa. Add the bouillon powder, salt, and pepper to the quinoa, and cook as per the packet’s instructions.
4. Make the lemon vinaigrette. Lightly bruise the garlic and put in a jar. Add the vinegar and lemon juice, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. The acidity can tune down the pungency of the garlic. Then add the olive oil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Shake the jar vigorously to emulsify the sauce.
5. Move on to the salmon. Warm 2 tsp of oil in a pan over medium-low heat, cook the anchovies until they dissolve, then add the garlic to cook for a further minute. Place in the salmon (skin sides down) and cook until just cooked. Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms and add them in to the pan; stir occasionally.
6. Back to the quinoa. When the quinoa is done, you should be able to see the tiny white dots of the quinoa. Stir in the spinach as well. Have a taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Divide it into 2 plates.
7. Check the beetroots. When the beetroots are done, peel off the skin and cut into smaller chunks. Toss them in vinegar and olive oil.
8. Plating. Place the salmon, mushrooms, and beetroots onto the quinoa, then dress in lemon vinaigrette and serve. Mix well and enjoy!