Lemon Pepper Herb Salmon with Basil Garlic Couscous and Veggies

Fun Cubes of Flavor

Cooking Time:  15 minutes
Clean-Up:  Pot, skillet, and tongs

Call this a "proof-of-concept" meal. Fresh salmon, baby carrots, green beans, and couscous. From fridge to plate in under 15 minutes.  I even used a new "cheat" - which I happened to fall completely in love with.

The Original Minute Rice

I didn't feel like adding the nutty, earthy taste of brown rice to this dish and that is where the couscous comes in.  Couscous is a different mouth feel than rice but, more importantly, it is a completely blank canvas and will be done quicker than brown rice. Earlier in the day I found the chopped basil and crushed garlic in the freezer section of my local fresh & easy market. Toss one of each into the boiling water and butter and it will do wonders for adding flavor to the semolina of the couscous. Once you've added the flavor and let it steep for another minute, stir in the couscous, remove from heat, cover and let sit for five minutes.

Don't Worry - The Black is Normal

Skinless salmon fillets are an easy cook. Crust salmon with herbs of your own choosing and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Gently place in a skillet of medium hot oil and cook two minutes per side. Then place in a 375 degree oven and cook three minutes more per side (it really pays to have a high quality skillet that can go from stove top to oven in a single swoop. If your seasoning forms a black crust then your oil was too hot when you started (yes - mine was). Don't panic if this happens - you will just wind up with a cajun style dish - which didn't bug me too much.

The end result is yummy, healthy, freshness that will never be found in any location that has you using internal combustion to wait in line for faux food. Bon appetit!