Pan Seared Salmon with Farro and Asian Inspired Cabbage Salad
This dish was inspired by the February 2021 Bon Appetit magazine. There was a very similar recipe in the magazine but in true Rachel fashion, I went rogue with my own version. A couple notes on this dish before we get started:
Farro: Farro is a nice ancient grain with a similar texture to barley. I chose it for this recipe 1. because I like it and wanted to do something different. 2. The “meaty” texture of farro soaks up the sauce nicely. This dish would also be really great served with rice or quinoa for gluten free alternatives.
The salad: The original recipe used carrots and Daikon radish. I couldn’t find Daikon radish and wanted to add cabbage which I ended up really liking!
The sauce: The sauce thickens a little on the stove but does not get syrupy. This way it makes a nice dressing but also is thin enough to cover the salmon and seep into the farro.
Cooking oils: I almost always use avocado oil for cooking especially at high temperatures. The reason being is avocado oil has a very neutral flavor and has a much higher smoke point than olive oil. Olive oil is really meant for salads and topping things. It tends to break down at high temperatures. It is not bad for you in any way to cook with olive oil, so if you don’t have avocado oil you can substitute all olive oil. And vice versa.
Salmon: I always look for wild-caught salmon. The salmon I purchased happened to have the skin on it still. The skin gives it a really nice crispy crust, but you don’t have to leave the skin on the salmon. When cooking the fish make sure the oil is very hot in the pan before adding the salmon. You could also cook the salmon another way if you like it better. It turns out well in the air fryer and also the oven.
Prep time: About 15 minutes. Cook time: About 45 minutes
Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):
1 cup whole farro, rinsed (or any other grain you prefer)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup low sodium Tamari (or soy sauce or coconut aminos)
1 Tbs honey
1/4 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
4-5 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
4- 3 oz. salmon filets, mine had the skin on
2 Tbs avocado oil
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Start by cooking your farro (or whatever starch you prefer). There are a couple ways you can cook farro. I chose to cook it like pasta. Fill a medium pot half full of water (salted) and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed farro, reduce the heat and simmer for about 25-30 minutes until it is soft. Cook less time for more of an al dente texture. Drain and let cool. I like to lay it out on a sheet pan to cool so it doesn’t get mushy.
Next, start your sauce/dressing. Mix the minced garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, tamari and honey in a small saucepan over medium/high heat for about 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.
Combine thinly sliced cabbage, carrots and radishes in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Next prepare your salmon. Pat dry your salmon with a paper towel and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 2 Tbs avocado oil in a large non-stick pan on medium/high heat. When the oil is very hot add the salmon, skin side down. Cook for 5-7 minutes until a nice crust forms, try not to move it in the pan until you are ready to flip. Then turn the salmon over and cook for 1-2 minutes more. The internal temperature of salmon should reach 145 degrees F.
Assembling the dish: Add half of the cooled sauce to the cabbage salad mixture. Add 1 Tbs olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to combine. Plate the farro, the dressed salad and top with crispy salmon. Drizzle with remaining sauce or serve on the side. Optional: garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped green onion. Enjoy!
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I am so excited for you to try this recipe! If you post a picture, please tag me @RachelMasterKitchen and Hashtag #Rachel.Master.Kitchen on instagram!
