Cookies Preferences
Rice and I don't get along so well....and my mother-in-law incredulously asks me about 4 times every visit why I don't cook rice every day. Although a staple in my husband's family, we didn't eat it as often and even with a culinary degree I have burnt more than my fair share of rice. Vermicelli rice is the daily version of rice served with tabeek, the kind of stews made at home. Finally, I seem to have mastered this admittedly delicious rice preparation and while it's delicious all on its own, the addition of turmeric makes it beautiful and I've bejeweled it with pickled golden raisins and toasted slivered almonds. This alongside a crispy skinned seared salmon drizzled with a zaatar vinaigrette, maybe with some garlicky sauteed greens on the side is an easy weeknight meal....but good enough for when you have guests over!
For the pickled golden raisins:
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
For the rice:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup broken vermicelli
1 cup basmati or other long grain white rice
1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 3/4 cups water
large pinch of salt
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
For the zaatar vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons zaatar spice mix
salt and pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 skin on 170g pieces of salmon, patted dry before seasoning
salt and pepper
avocado oil for cooking
1/2 cup oregano or zaatar leaves for garnish
Place the raisins in a medium jar with a lid. Heat the remaining ingredients until boiling and the sugar disolves. Pour the liquid over the raisins and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cool place in the fridge until you need them.
Rinse the rice in a collander several times before soaking for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse again. In a heavy bottomed pot heat the olive oil and toast the vermicelli in it, stirring constantly as it will burn easily. Once it's golden brown add the rice and coat all of the grains with the oil. Add the turmeric, stirring again before adding the water and salt. Boil rice on high uncovered until it reduces and is almost like mini-volcanos sputtering at you from the pot. Now lower the heat, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 10-15 more minutes covered. Fluff it with a fork before adding the raisins and almonds.
Heat the oil for the salmon in a stainless steel frying pan and season the salmon fillets well with salt and pepper. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the hot oil and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow them to cook for 5-7 minutes, until the skin releases from the pan with no resistance, and it's cooked to your prefence (this will also depend on how thick your salmon pieces are). Flip them over and cook for just 30 seconds to 1 minute before transferring them to paper towels to drain.
Place a mound of the turmeric rice on each plate with the salmon on top (crispy skin side up) and drizzle with the zaatar vinaigrette and oregano leaves.
