Mediterranean Salmon Bowl

Directions

Olive Tapenade

1. If you decide to use store-bought olive tapenade, skip ahead to the vegetables. Otherwise, put all the ingredients except the red wine vinegar and olive oil into the bowl of a food processor or on a cutting board. Rouch chop until chunky, but not so small that it’s pureed. Put everything into a bowl and fold in the olive oil and red wine vinegar.

2. To assemble, put couscous in a bowl, top with the rapini, the feta and vegetable condiment, and finish with the salmon on top. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side and top with some of the chopped parsley.

Vegetables

1. Toss the squash and eggplant slices in a generous pinch of salt and put them in a colander or on a rack over a sheet tray to draw out moisture. Let them sit for at least 1 hour, and up to 3.

2. Heat oven to 425° F. Put two sheet trays into the oven to heat up.

3. Once the water is drawn out of the squash and eggplants, press the slices with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to dry any beads of moisture and then set aside in a bowl. Toss them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

4. In another bowl, toss rapini with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt, then arrange it in a single layer on one of the hot sheet trays. Put it back in the oven.

5. Cut the bottom of the garlic bulb off at the root so the cloves are just barely exposed. Pour another tablespoon of olive oil on the head of garlic so it seeps into the cloves and massage it around. Place it cut-side down on the empty heated sheet tray. In the middle of the tray, place the block of feta. Arrange the squash and eggplant in the remaining space in a single layer. Put it into the oven.

6. Cook rapini for 10 minutes until crispy and browned. Drizzle with a little lemon juice to taste as it comes out of the oven and set aside.

7. Cook squash and zucchini until browned, about 30 to 40 minutes total. Remove the tray from the oven. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb on top of the feta. Smash the roasted garlic and feta until it’s incorporated and then stir the veggies until the veggies are coated and they just start to fall apart and become a creamy condiment. Season with a little bit of salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

Salmon

1. Reduce the oven temperature to 225° F.

2. Put salmon portions in a glass or ceramic baking dish with ¼ cup of olive oil, rubbing the portions so they are coated in oil. Salt the fish and put it into the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the fish flakes to the touch. Meanwhile, prepare the couscous.

Couscous

1. Toast the couscous in a pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon of salt.

2. Once the couscous is toasted, add the water, return to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

3. Strain off excess water once the couscous is done cooking and fold in the olive tapenade, basil, and parsley (saving some for garnish, if you’d like). If you want to add some spice, chop Calabrian chiles and fold them into the couscous as well.

4. To assemble, put couscous in a bowl, top with the rapini, the feta and vegetable condiment, and finish with the salmon on top. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side and top with some of the chopped parsley.