Do I have to use salmon?

Not at all! This is a super flexible recipe which works really well with other proteins - I often have it with a roasted chicken breast (or topped with leftover chicken) or cod loin. Just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly. You can also skip the salmon and enjoy the delicious tomato, feta and pesto giant couscous salad! It would be great to double up and make for a casual summer lunch.

What other types of pesto can I use?

There are SO many different types of pesto and a fair few would work really well here. Pesto literally means ‘to pound’ in Italian so, strictly, it can be made of any mixture of herbs pound into a paste. The most famous is ‘Pesto alla Genovese’ which is made with fresh basil. Others, like ‘Pesto Rosso’ (with sun-dried tomatoes and/or smoky roasted red peppers), ‘Pesto alla Trapanese’ (with tomatoes and almonds) and ‘Pesto Calabrese’ (with chilli flakes and ricotta instead of Parmesan) are just as delicious.

Salmon With Pesto Crust & Roasted Tomato Giant Couscous Salad

Salmon with pesto crust

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The most delicious 15 minute supper. Salmon baked with a pesto crust and served with tomato cous cous with basil and feta.

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 1x
Category: seafood
Method: oven
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale

2 large salmon fillets
2 tbsp fresh pesto
120g giant couscous
½ vegetable stock cube
3 tbsp olive oil
250g cherry tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
handful of basil, finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

30g feta, crumbled
Fresh pesto, to drizzle
Fresh basil leaves

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190C Fan and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
Place the salmon fillets (skin side down) on the baking sheet and spread each one with a dollop of pesto. Roast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes - or until they give way and begin to flake when nudged with a knife.
Meanwhile, prepare the giant couscous: tip the giant couscous into a medium-sized saucepan and pour over boiling water. Crumble in ½ a stock cube and stir to dissolve. Place over a medium heat and boil for 6-8 minutes until just tender. Drain well and tip into a bowl.
For the tomatoes: add the olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan and place over a gentle heat. Add the cherry tomatoes (don’t worry about slicing) and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow to bubble away for a few minutes, swirling the pan every now and then to stop them from catching and burning.
When the tomatoes start to soften, gently squash them down with the back of a wooden spoon - you want them to release their juices and mix with the olive oil to become the most delicious ‘dressing’ for the couscous. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, stirring often.
Pour the tomatoes into the drained couscous. Add the sliced basil and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning - remember we will be scattering over feta before serving which is naturally quite salty.
To serve: scoop the couscous onto two plates, top with the salmon and scatter over the crumbled feta. Drizzle with more pesto, if wished, and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

Notes

Extra crunch: this is also delicious sprinkled with toasted pine nuts for added texture and crunch.

Fresh pesto: although you could use a jar of pesto, I really recommend using fresh (either homemade or found in the chilled aisle) - it does make a big difference!

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/salmon-with-pesto-crust/