Crispy Coconut Ginger Orzo with Baked Salmon
I’ve been cooking crispy rice like a mad woman lately (if you haven’t made it yet, definitely give it a try — HalfBakedHarvest has a killer recipe), but orzo is a nice change of pace sometimes so I gave this a try! It. Was. So. Good. Creamy and subtly coconutty with a touch of ginger, savory peas and scallions, and goes famously with the simplicity of baked salmon. Oh, and don’t forget an ice cold glass of Chardonnay. Check it out:
What You Need
1 can coconut milk (unsweetened, full fat)
1 inch fresh peeled ginger root
2 cups orzo
1 cup frozen peas
6 tbsp olive oil
2 sliced green onions
2 salmon filets
2-4 garlic cloves minced
Salt & pepper to taste
Make It Happen
Pre-heat the oven to 400 and line a baking pan with foil.
Rinse and pat dry your salmon filets. Rub both sides with 2 of the tablespoons of olive oil and lay skin-side down on the foil-lined pan. Sprinkle with a 5-finger pinch of sea salt, 1 tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of grated ginger, and the minced garlic. Set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, bring the coconut milk, 2 cups of water, peeled ginger, and 4-finger pinch of salt to a boil. Then add the orzo and let it cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.
After you add the orzo, add the salmon to the oven and cook for 12-18 minutes depending on the size of your filets.
When the orzo is done boiling, drain thoroughly then add to a large (at least 10 inch) skillet with 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Spread evenly around the whole pan and let it cook for 4 minutes undisturbed.
This is the tricky part!! After the first 4 minutes of orzo cookin’, place a large plate or platter over the pan and carefully flip the whole crispy orzo patty onto the new surface. It’s okay if it breaks or isn’t perfect! It’s going back in. But, do your best.
Add 2 more tbsp of olive oil back to the same pan, then carefully use a large/wide spatula to slide the crispy orzo back into the pan crispy-side up this time. Let it cook for 4 more minutes.
About 2 minutes into the 4 more minutes on the other side of the orzo, add the sliced scallions and warmed peas with a 3-finger of salt. Then carefully mix them into the top part of the orzo — leaving the bottom as best you can so it gets its fair share of crispin’ time.
Grab the same plate or platter, and repeat the process of flipping the orzo. This time leaving it there — turn off the burner.
Plate it by scooping a section of the crispy orzo onto a plate, then lay the baked salmon on top and garnish with one more squeeze of lemon and some scallion greens. Bon appetit, my loves.
