This salad consists of an irresistible assembly of nutty red quinoa, sweet grilled peppers, buttery fish, creamy avocado, and fruity dressing. Harissa paste is a North African spicy red sauce that’s perfect for adding smokiness and heat to dressings, sauces, and dips. If harissa is unavailable, you can spike the dressing with
a bit of cayenne instead. Quinoa and mango dressing can both be prepared ahead of time and kept chilled
for up to four days.
Quinoa Trout Salad with Spicy Mango Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) red quinoa
- Pinch of salt
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced into quarters
- 2 tsp + 2 Tbsp (10 mL + 30 mL) grapeseed
- or sunflower oil (divided)
- 1 lb (450 g) rainbow trout fillets
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) cubed fresh or frozen (thawed) mango
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp (10 mL) harissa paste
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 4 cups (1 L) arugula
- 1 unpeeled English cucumber, chopped
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced fresh basil
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried coconut chips
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories647
- protein37g
- fat34g
- saturated fat8g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates52g
- sugars14g
- fibre11g
- sodium252mg
Directions
01
In medium-sized saucepan, place quinoa, 1 3/4 cups
(435 mL) water, and a couple pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender and liquid has absorbed, about
15 minutes. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes and then fluff quinoa with fork.
Build a medium-hot fire in charcoal grill, or heat gas grill to medium-high.
Lightly brush bell peppers with 1 tsp (5 mL) oil and season lightly with salt. Grill until charred in a few spots and tender, flipping once, about 10 minutes total. Remove peppers from grill and, once cool enough to handle, slice into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces.
Brush skin side of trout with 1 tsp (5 mL) oil and season flesh with salt and black pepper. Place trout on grill grates, skin side down, close grill cover, and heat until fish is just barely cooked through in the centre, about 8 minutes. Remove trout from grill, let rest for
5 minutes, and then gently break apart flesh into
1 in (2.5 cm) chunks.
In blender container, place mango, 2 Tbsp (30 mL) oil, vinegar, harissa paste, garlic, and salt, and blend until smooth.
Divide arugula among 4 serving plates and top with quinoa, roasted red pepper, cucumber, avocado, and basil. Drizzle on Spicy Mango Dressing and garnish
with coconut chips and pumpkin seeds.
Handle with care: It’s best to place fish such as trout on the grill and leave it alone. Flipping delicate fillets is a risky undertaking with the chance of sending fish pieces to the flames below. Bonus: crispy skin.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
