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Preston Clark is the executive chef and culinary director for one of New York City's longest-running restaurants, Lure. Here, he shows us how to combine elevated flavors with simple ingredients, including salmon, couscous and cabbage. His Moroccan BBQ sauce, flavored with honey, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, ginger and cilantro, is wonderful as a glaze on the fish, but can also be used on chicken, pork, beef and vegetables. 

For more popular salmon recipes, check out these healthy Salmon Rice Bowls and Sheet Pan Salmon with Dijon-Walnut Crust

Ingredients

For the BBQ Sauce:
  • 1 ½ cups honey
  • 1 ½ cups rice wine vinegar
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • ¾ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
For the Couscous and Cabbage:
  • 2 ½ cups stock or water
  • ½ cup small diced carrot
  • ½ cup small diced onion
  • ½ cup small diced zucchini
  • 1 cup couscous
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • ½ head Savoy or green cabbage, finely julienned
For the Salmon:
  • Four 7-ounce Atlantic salmon filets, skin removed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon EVOO
  • 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, toasted
  • Sea salt
  • Micro cilantro (optional)

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

For the BBQ sauce, in a medium saucepan, stir together the ingredients and bring to a full boil over high heat. Immediately lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce is reduced by about two-thirds and has a syrup-like consistency, 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.  

For the couscous and cabbage, in a small saucepan, bring the stock to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the diced vegetables and cook for about 30 seconds, just to soften them up a touch. Add the couscous and stir well. Remove the pot from the heat, cover immediately with a lid or with plastic wrap and allow the couscous to steam for about 10 minutes.  

Fluff the steamed couscous with a fork and season with salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil. Keep warm until ready to plate. 

Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat. Add the cabbage and sauté, constantly flipping the cabbage to make sure it doesn't get any color. Add 2 tablespoons water to steam the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to plate.  

For the salmon, preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the bottom of a baking dish, top with the salmon and roast for 10 minutes. Coat each piece generously with BBQ sauce and roast 2 minutes more.  

To serve, press some warm couscous into a 4-inch ring mold in the center of each plate. Arrange some of the cabbage over the couscous and top with a piece of salmon. Drizzle some BBQ sauce around the plate. Garnish the salmon with toasted fennel seeds, sea salt and micro cilantro (if using).