Middle Eastern Salmon and Lemon Kebabs
with couscous / citrus and avocados

Name: Middle Eastern Salmon and Lemon Kebabs
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup Stock, any type (sub water); 1/4 tsp Salt; 2 Tbsp Butter; 3/4 cup Couscous, uncooked; 16 Skewers, wooden, bamboo, or metal; 1 1/2 lbs Salmon, cubed (look for skinless salmon filets or ask the fishmonger to remove the skin); 1 Tbsp Za'atar; 2 Lemons, sliced thinly into rounds; 1 clove Shallots, diced; 1/2 tsp Mustard, Dijon; 2 tsp Vinegar, red wine; 2 Tbsp Oil, olive; 1 lb Citrus fruit, chopped (grapefruit, oranges, or a combination); 2 Avocados, chopped

Active: 45 min Total: 45 min

Original GF Paleo Vegetarian

Alternating salmon and lemon makes kebabs that are eye-catching and flavorful. We featured these kebabs back in 2015 but are giving them a fresh take in this bright and colorful citrus-packed meal.
Smarts: This meal takes quite a bit of prep, from threading the salmon onto skewers to chopping the citrus and avocado. Feel free to simplify by leaving the salmon filets whole and just searing in a pan. (Top with the lemon slices.)

Ingredients

Metric

Servings:

Couscous:

Stock, any type - 1 cup (sub water)
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 2 Tbsp
Couscous, uncooked - 3/4 cup

Middle Eastern Salmon and Lemon Kebabs:

Skewers, wooden, bamboo, or metal - 16
Salmon - 1 1/2 lbs , cubed (look for skinless salmon filets or ask the fishmonger to remove the skin)
Za'atar - 1 Tbsp
Lemons - 2 , sliced thinly into rounds

Citrus and Avocados:

Shallots - 1 clove , diced
Mustard, Dijon - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar, red wine - 2 tsp
Oil, olive - 2 Tbsp
Citrus fruit - 1 lb , chopped (grapefruit, oranges, or a combination)
Avocados - 2 , chopped

Prep

Make couscous - (Double if making Wednesday’s meal.) Combine stock, salt, and butter in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and cover with lid. Let stand for ~5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Skewers - (If cooking on the grill, get grill heating before continuing with prep.) If using wooden / bamboo skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes.
Make vinaigrette - Dice shallots. Whisk shallots with mustard and vinegar. Add oil while whisking. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Salmon - Rinse and pat dry. Chop into 1” / 2.5 cm cubes. (Note: Don’t worry if some pieces aren’t perfectly cubed; you can fold them over when threading them onto skewers.) Toss salmon with za’atar and some salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Lemons - Thinly slice into rounds. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Citrus fruit / Avocados - Prep as directed and combine.
Assemble skewers - Alternate threading salmon and lemons (folded into halves or quarters) onto skewers. (Using two skewers together can make it easier to flip the skewers as they cook.)

Make

If cooking on a grill: Heat grill to 450F / 232C degrees. Clean grates and brush with some oil. Add salmon kebabs and sear on both sides until salmon is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total.
If cooking on the stovetop: Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush pan with some oil. Add salmon kebabs and sear on both sides until salmon is just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
Toss citrus and avocados in vinaigrette. Season with a pinch of salt.
If couscous was made ahead, reheat in the microwave (reserve half if doubled).
Serve salmon skewers with couscous and citrus / avocados on the side. (The citrus / avocados and vinaigrette are great spooned over top of the couscous.) Enjoy!

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Middle Eastern Salmon and Lemon Kebabs with couscous / citrus and avocados