GOLDEN COUSCOUS SALMON
Baked until golden brown and served with a Mediterranean-style tomato, olive & parsley salad with vinaigrette. 
When I’m not filming or cooking traditional French dishes, I often crave something light, wholesome, and a little unexpected. This salmon dish is one of those “off-duty chef” meals that feels fancy but takes hardly any effort. The salmon gets coated in a fluffy couscous crust that crisps beautifully in the oven, and it’s paired with a bright tomato, olive and parsley vinaigrette. It’s one of those recipes that proves you don’t need a stovetop to create something full of flavour and texture. This one all happens in the oven, and it’s done before you know it.
INGREDIENTS
Serves: 4 | Prep: 10 MIN | Cook: 20 MIN
For the Salmon and Couscous Crust
200 g (7 oz) instant couscous
200 ml (7 fl oz) boiling water
1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 salmon fillets, about 150 g (5 oz) each, skin removed (I use New Zealand king salmon which has a good reputation or wild caught Alaskan salmon is high quality)
For the Vinaigrette
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced ( should yields a hundred grams)
100 g (2 oz) pitted green or black olives, roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 pinch of salt and pepper
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp grain mustard
6 tbsp (90 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or grapeseed
MISE EN PLACE
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), fan-forced if available.
Have a baking dish large enough to accommodate the fish ready and drizzle a little olive oil over the base.
Bring the water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan. Prepare a large bowl for the couscous and a separate mixing bowl for the vinaigrette. Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes; roughly chop the olives and parsley.
Method
Pour the couscous into the large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Use your fingers or a fork to lightly coat the grains. Pour over the boiling water (equal weight to the couscous), cover with a plate and let it stand for 5 minutes until the grains absorb the liquid. Fluff gently with a fork to separate the grains.
Take a handful of couscous and lay it on a tray then place the salmon filet over and gently over each salmon fillet with some more couscous to form a crust, making sure to cover the sides as well. Carefully place the fillets into the prepared baking dish and drizzle a touch more olive oil on top if you like.
Bake for about 20–25 minutes (depending on size) until the couscous turns lightly golden and crisp and the salmon is just cooked through. If your oven runs hot, lower the temperature slightly to 190°C (375°F) midway through cooking.
While the salmon bakes, make the vinaigrette. In a bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk well, then slowly pour in the oil to create a light emulsion. Stir in the parsley, tomatoes and olives, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Let the mixture sit at room temperature while the salmon is cooking to allow the flavours to blend.
To serve, place the baked salmon on plates and spoon over a few generous tablespoons of the tomato-olive vinaigrette.
Variations
If you’re gluten-intolerant, replace couscous with cooked quinoa flakes. Roll the salmon in a beaten egg first to help the flakes stick.
For a little heat, add a pinch of chili flakes to the vinaigrette.
Try using cherry tomatoes in summer for extra sweetness.
This recipe works beautifully with firm white fish fillets too - just adjust the cooking time slightly.