FOOD AND WINE ROAST SALMON WITH COUSCOUS CRUST

Food and Wine Roast Salmon with Couscous Crust image

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 cup Boiling Water
1 cup Instant Couscous
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic
6 pieces Black Olives, Oil packed, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped
6 ounces 4 Salmon Fillets, Center Cut, Skinned
1 piece Leek, White and tender green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup Pinot Noir
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 piece Shallot, Thinly sliced
1 stick Butter, Sliced into tablespoons

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 500°. In a small heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the couscous. Cover with a plate and let stand until the water has been completely absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Heat Olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the olives, parsley and couscous. Season lightly with salt and pepper.In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the diced bacon and cook over moderate heat
Put the salmon fillets on a lightly oiled baking sheet, skinned side down and season with salt and pepper. Carefully mound the couscous on the fillets, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Bake the salmon in the upper third of the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and the salmon is just cooked through.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the leek, cover and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Scrape the leek onto a plate. Add the Pinot Noir, vinegar and shallot to the saucepan and boil over moderately high heat until the liquid has reduced to 2 1/2 tablespoons, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time; return the pan to the heat only as necessary to keep the sauce warm. Do not let the sauce boil. Stir the leeks into the sauce and cook just until heated through. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Serve at once with the salmon.