Easy Salmon Pilaf with Asparagus & Peas

Happy Friday!

This will be a short (or at least quickly-written) post as I'm about to leave to catch a Greyhound home for the weekend to spend a couple of days with my family and boyfriend.  I'm looking forward to seeing them but am not so excited about the trip home considering it's been raining cats and dogs (does anyone say that anymore?) all day and is FRIGID outside!  

I'll admit I was a little excited when I realized it would be cooler out today because it meant I could wear the pretty new red spring jacket I just bought, but after about three minutes outside I was cursing my flimsy jacket and wishing I had worn a parka instead!

So considering the very spring-like weather we'll be having all weekend, I thought it was appropriate to share a spring-like recipe today!  This pilaf with salmon, asparagus, and peas, is an easy and healthy weeknight dish that I've made quite a few times and will probably make a few more times this season while asparagus is still in its prime!

I'm calling this an "easy" pilaf because it's sort of a shortcut version of a traditional pilaf that makes the dish come together fairly quickly and with minimal effort.  I use instant rice that I cook separately for only the 5 or 10 minutes directed on the package, I roast the salmon in the oven so that it's very hands-off, I cook the asparagus and onions quickly on the stove, then basically just mix them all together with some broth in a big pan and voila!

The one caveat with this dish is that its flavour depends on the quality of the ingredients you use.  If you have good-tasting salmon, asparagus, peas, and stock, then you'll end up with a good-tasting meal.  I also rely on lots of salt and pepper to season this dish - it makes a huge difference!  You can certainly feel free to add in any other ingredients or seasonings you like though.

Well, I'm off to go stand in line for a bus in the pouring rain.  Hope you have more exciting Friday night plans than me and that you all have a great weekend!

Salmon Pilaf with Asparagus and Peas

Adapted from Cooking Light

 

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 salmon fillets

1.5 cups uncooked instant long grain white rice or brown rice (I prefer brown but for the dish pictured I used enriched white rice)

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided (I prefer chicken broth here)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped asparagus

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup packed chopped parsley

Lots of salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Season salmon with salt and pepper, place on a foil-lined baking sheet, and roast for 12-15 minutes, until salmon flakes easily with a fork.  (Alternately, you could cook the salmon according to your own preferred cooking method).

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions, replacing the water with 1.5 cups chicken or vegetable stock.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, and asparagus, and sauté for 4-6 minutes, stirring often, until onion starts to brown.  Add rice, peas, and 1/2 cup chicken/vegetable broth, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add lemon juice and parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, for another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and serve warm.