Salmon with beetroot, fennel & orange salad & pearl couscous recipe

Ingredients

• 60 g pearl couscous
• Oil spray
• 170 g salmon fillet, skin removed and deboned
• 10 g walnuts
• 60 g reduced-salt low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

• 2 small beetroots
• 2 medium oranges
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 large handful rocket leaves

• 1½ teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4).
2. Wrap the beetroot in foil with 4 teaspoons of water (this helps the beetroot to steam). Place in a small roasting pan and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes or until tender. Test the beetroot with a skewer – it is cooked if a skewer pierces the flesh easily. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice the beetroot.
3. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Stir in the pearl couscous and simmer over medium heat for 10–12 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile, peel the oranges over a medium bowl to catch the juice. Slice the oranges or cut into segments. Squeeze the remaining orange membrane to extract any extra juice into the bowl and set aside.
5. To make the dressing, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard and reserved orange juice together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
6. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray lightly with oil spray. Add the salmon and cook for 5–6 minutes or until cooked to your liking, turning occasionally. Transfer to a plate and set aside to rest for 2 minutes. Slice the salmon into bite-sized pieces.
7. Place the beetroot, orange segments, fennel and rocket in a mixing bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently to combine.
8. To serve, place the pearl couscous on two serving plates. Top with the beetroot, fennel and orange salad and salmon. Sprinkle over the walnuts, feta, dill and chives.