Perfect 10-minute salmon with Greek couscous

With the cooler weather, however, comes cold season, so before the glorious season of pumpkin everything officially begins, try this one.  It’s filled with lemon and parsley makes a great last summer hurrah.

I’m convinced that cast iron is the only way to go here.  This salmon is absolutely delicious and basically foolproof, given your pan is properly seasoned.  Serve with the couscous and a side of grilled vegetables, and you’ve got yourself a great meal.

Greek couscous
Serves 4

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry pan
4 large olives (I used Spanish pimento-stuffed olives), quartered
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup feta, crumbled
Juice of half a lemon

1. Pour the champagne vinegar into a small saucepan and heat to a simmer.  Let the vinegar reduce down to 1/8 of a cup, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the honey. 
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the couscous and toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the white wine, stir, and simmer to reduce by half.  Stir in the water and salt, reduce heat to low, and let the couscous absorb the water.  After 2-3 minutes, remove from heat.  The couscous should be fully hydrated after about 5 minutes.
3. While the couscous cooks, toast the sliced almonds by placing in a dry pan over medium heat, tossing occasionally until golden brown. 
4. When the couscous has absorbed all the water, add the almonds, olives, parsley, cherry tomatoes, feta, lemon juice, and reduced champagne vinegar mixture to the pan.  Toss to combine.  
5. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.  I let this sit on the table while I cooked my salmon.

Perfect 10-minute salmon
Serves 2

1 Tbsp high heat cooking oil (canola, coconut)
2 wild-caught salmon fillets, 1″ in thickness
Salt
Pepper
Butter or olive oil
2 lemon slices

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a large (12″) cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Pour in the oil, tilting to cover the bottom of the skillet.  
3. When the oil is hot and the surface looks shimmering, put the salmon in the pan flesh side down. Cook for 2 minutes without touching, then flip with a metal spatula.  Cook undisturbed with skin side down for 1 1/2 minutes. 
4. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Put a small slice of butter or a drizzle of olive oil on each salmon fillet and top with a lemon slice.  Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 4 minutes. 
5. *Note: This recipe works great every time for salmon fillets that are 1″ in thickness.  For thicker fillets, 10 minutes per inch is a good rule of thumb.  Increase cooking time on each side and in the oven accordingly.