Almond Crusted Pesto Salmon with Mushroom Broth Quinoa

Are you an ocean or mountain person? I am definitely an ocean person! This basic test is suppose to unveil something about your personality....but in my case, I just really really really love seafood! Lately I have been trying to incorporate more seafood in my weekly meals. This one is definitely one of my favorites.

Almond Crusted Pesto Salmon

What you'll need:

• A nice piece of Atlantic Salmon filet

• A handful of non-salted almonds

• Two handfuls of fresh parsley

• 1 tbsp of sesame seeds

• 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 3 Tbsp of white wine

• 1 Tbsp of panko

• 1 Tbsp of butter

• 2 clove of garlic

• Pinch of salt

What you'll do:

Make the simple pesto. Chop half the fresh parsley until its pretty fine. Add the parsley, 3 Tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a clove of garlic in a mortar. With your pestle, crush into a paste. You have yourself some pesto!

Prepare the salmon. Remove the salmon's skin using a filet knife. {Keep the skin if you prefer it} Salt both sides and drizzle with some olive oil and butter on a thin layer of parsley pesto on the top of the salmon. In a food processor, chop up the almonds. Remove from the food processor. Add to the food processor the parsley, sesame seeds with a pinch of salt, chop a few seconds. In a bowl, add the almonds, pinch of salt, parsley, sesame seeds, panko, 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil - mix. Add and press almond mixture into the top of the salmon filet.

In a skillet, melt some butter, garlic and olive oil, low to medium heat, add the salmon filet - almond mixture side down. Cook half way through the salmon and turn it over to cook the other side. Salmon should be pale pink not whitish {if its whitish it is overcooked}. Remove salmon - add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the remaining pesto, cook down 1 min or so until it starts to a bit more fluid in texture. Drizzle pesto reduction on salmon.

You can have this salmon with a rice of your choice, a salad or some oven roasted sweet potatoes - or you can try this super simple mushroom broth quinoa.

Mushroom Broth Quinoa

This quinoa is all about the broth. Because the Salmon has so many layers of flavor you want to pair it with something that has a complimentary but simple flavor level.

What you'll need:

Making the Mushroom Broth

• 6 cups of water

• 1/2 cup of white wine

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup of white mushrooms

• 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms

• 1/2 cup portobello mushrooms

• 1 large onion

• 1/2 fennel bulb

• 1 medium carrot

• 2 spring of sage

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 thyme sprig

• 1 bay leaf

What you'll do:

Chop the mushrooms, onion, fennel, garlic and carrot. In a dutch oven heat on medium-high 4 tbsp of olive oil and add chopped produce, sage, thyme and bay leaf. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When everything has cooked down, about 10 mins, add the white wine, cook until it has completely reduced. Add the water and bring everything to a boil. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 4 cups {or it is to your taste} and strain the stock. Make sure to press all the cooked produce and herbs so you can get maximum flavor.

Now take your favorite quinoa and cook quinoa based on packaging while adding an extra 1/4 cup of broth to directions. Packaging may call for water, you'll be using your mushroom broth instead.

You should be left with very fluffy quinoa, almost like a risotto texture, with a ton of flavor.

**Use this broth in soups and other recipes that call for a beef broth, for a more nuttier taste.

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