Tomato-Citrus Salmon and Herbed Couscous Pilaf

Oh, Cooking Light magazine how I love thee! This is the second and third recipe(s) that I have tried from the latest issue, that we have loved. Best of all, the October issue is still jam-packed with tons of goodies that will inevitably grace my table. These were keepers on both accounts!

Tomato-Citrus Salmon
From: Cooking Light magazine, Marge Perry, October 2010 issue

Ingredients:
3 large navel oranges, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 1/2 cups diced plum tomato
1/4 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives

Directions:
Grate 1/2 teaspoon orange rind; squeeze 1/4 cup juice from 1 orange into a sieve over a bowl. Section remaining 2 oranges to equal 1 cup sections. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper over fish. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish, top side down, to pan; cook 5 minutes. Remove fish from pan. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Add tomato, olives, orange juice, and orange rind to pan; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Arrange fish, browned side up, over tomato mixture in pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Add orange sections; cook 1 minute or until desired degree of doneness.

Nutritional Info:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1/3 cup tomato mixture)
Calories:380
Fat:19.8g (sat 3.8g,mono 7.1g,poly 7.3g)
Protein:35.5g
Carbohydrate:13.7g
Fiber:2.7g
Cholesterol:100mg
Iron:1mg
Sodium:663mg
Calcium:57mg

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Herbed Couscous Pilaf
From: Cooking Light magazine, October 2010 issue

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 cup uncooked couscous (I used whole wheat couscous)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions:
Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add shallots; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in couscous; sauté 1 minute. Add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir in parsley and thyme.

Nutritional Info:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
Calories:205
Fat:3.7g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:6.5g
Carbohydrate:35.6g
Fiber:2.6g
Cholesterol:0.0mg
Iron:0.8mg
Sodium:263mg
Calcium:20mg



The Result:
As I said, both recipes were really yummy. I wasn't sure how the flavors were going to combine with the salmon, but it turned out really well. The tomatoes, onions, olives, and citrus basically turn into a pan sauce that was not sweet at all. The flavor contrast is savory, bright, and well-balanced. Really good! Also, the herbed couscous pilaf was a perfect canvas to showcase the salmon and the sauce. It was very subtle and tasty on it's own, but not overpowering. This was a great dinner choice!

Side Note: The only issue I tend to have with Cooking Light recipes is the amount of salt that the recipes indicate. They always seem under-seasoned to me, and these recipes were no exception. I basically just double the amount of salt the dish calls for, since I use either kosher or sea salt. (Both kosher and sea salt seem to be less "salty" flavored than table salt, in my opinion. Maybe if I was using table salt I would stick to the recipe amounts indicated). I usually always just season to taste, and ignore the recipe amounts.