Recipe: Grapefruit Viniagrette Quinoa Salad With Grilled Salmon

The delicate, sweet tangy-ness of grapefruit lends itself well to being paired with fish, and this recipe is no exception. A slightly more complex recipe, this tasty salad is packed with flavor - from scallions to cilantro to chile peppers and ginger, accented with grapefruit-infused oil, every bite is a taste sensation! Pairs well with shrimp or meaty fish like salmon, but if you don't care for fish, you could also try it with chicken breasts.

Grapefruit Viniagrette Quinoa Salad With Grilled Salmon
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 medium-size grapefruit
1/4 cup olive oil
8 slices fresh ginger
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 small minced chile pepper (jalapeno or serrano)
2 minced scallions
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 large salmon steaks, cut in bite-size cubes
Skewers, for grilling
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Use a vegetable peeler and carefully peel curls of the grapefruit rind off, being careful to avoid getting any of the bitter white pith.
• Heat grapefruit peel, olive oil, and ginger about 2 minutes in a small saucepan over medium heat. When oil starts to bubble, remove from heat. Set aside and let sit for 30 minutes, then strain and reserve the oil, discarding the grapefruit peelings.
• Meanwhile, bring quinoa, water, and 1/2 tsp salt, to a boil in a medium saucepan, reduce heat, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes, or until quinoa is light and fluffy and has absorbed the water. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork, then transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
• Remove entire peeling now from grapefruit and separate segments over a bowl to reserve juice; set grapefruit sections aside.
• Take 3 tablespoons of reserved grapefruit juice and whisk together with vinegar and honey in a separate bowl, then add salt and whisk again.
• To this mixture, slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons of the grapefruit-infused olive oil; start slowly, whisking constantly. Season with ground black pepper to taste.
• Pour this dressing into the quinoa and toss gently, then add the chile peppers, scallions, and cilantro. Set aside.
• Preheat a grill to high heat. 
• Thread salmon cubes onto skewers, brush with remaining grapefruit-infused oil, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Grill salmon skewers about three minutes, turning as each side browns.
• Toss grapefruit segments into the quinoa salad and serve with salmon kebobs, or remove salmon from skewers and add to salad.