Marinated Seared Salmon over Pearl Couscous

Chef's notes#

I used to be obsessed with the Marinated Seared Salmon, a mainstay at a long-gone Asian fusion restaurant called Republic, in NYC's Union Square. It closed almost a decade ago, and I created this homage to it from memory. I didn't get it quite right, but this was still a delicious approximation. The original dish was served over rice, but I wanted to try it over couscous instead. I'll keep iterating on it.

Details#

• ⏲️ Prep time: 20 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 15 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 2

Ingredients#

• 2 (6oz) salmon fillets, skin-on
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable or chicken broth
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• Salt to taste
• 1 large carrot, shredded or julienned
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt

Directions#

1. In a small bowl, whisk the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Toss in the shredded carrots and let them sit at room temperature.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the broth, turmeric, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Stir in the pearl couscous and golden raisins. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 8–10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Remove the salmon from the marinade and pat the skin side completely dry. Let the flesh side retain some marinade but wipe off large chunks of garlic or ginger.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the ghee. Once shimmering, place the salmon skin-side down and press down firmly for 15–20 seconds. Sear for 4–5 minutes until the skin is crispy and dark.
5. Flip the fillets and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes. Use tongs to gently sear the sides for 30 seconds each.
6. To serve, spoon a mound of the turmeric and raisin couscous onto a plate, place the salmon fillet on top skin-side up, and top with the pickled carrots.