Weekday Cooking: Simple Oven Roasted Salmon with A Tomato and Cucumber Salad and Stuffed Capsicum

I know this sounds like a lot to make over dinner but this is because I still have veggies to cook. Can I just say that I love these leeks! So tender and sweet! Let's make this easy and narrow it down to a few steps. First, make the stuffed capsicum. Next, cook the salmon. Lastly, make the tomato and cucumber salad. I didn't plan this in advance at all. I was just thinking what's left in my fridge and how I want to eat them. Nothing complicated but just a few simple components that can make a really good dinner.

Before I start with the food, today was just one of those days. I was looking forward to a nice easy week but it doesn't appear to be happening at all. But now and then I like the challenge and it gets my brain cells moving. I was still able to do some personal stuff - replying to Viber messages, instagram comments, emails and arranging brunch for the weekend. Yes, I know, it's just Monday, right?

So here we go...



Ingredients for the Oven Roasted Salmon:
2 salmon fillets around 150g each
olive oil, salt and pepper

Ingredients for the Stuffed Capsicum:
1 medium sized capsicum, halved, seeds and white parts removed
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 leek, halved and sliced, cooked in olive oil with 2-3 tsps french onion soup mix, optional but really good along with 1/4 cup water
2-3 cups spinach leaves, wilted
salt and pepper
4 thin slices of jarlsberg cheese

Ingredients for the Tomato and Cucumber Salad:
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
drizzle of olive oil, red wine vinegar, pomegranate molasses

Steps:
First, prepare the stuffed capsicum. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside. Mix the brown rice, cooked leeks and wilted spinach together. Spoon the rice mix into the capsicums, making sure that they overflow a bit. Place the stuffed capsicums on the baking tray. Lay 2 slices of cheese on top of each capsicum, drizzle with olive oil and cook for 15-20 minutes until the capsicums are soft.

While the capsicums are cooking, prepare the salmon. In an ovenproof skillet, heat up some olive oil - around 2-3 tsps. When the pan is hot, place the salmon, non-skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn over and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven and cook for another 6-8 minutes. I like mine a bit on the medium rare side so it took less time to cook. Once the salmon is cooked, take it out from the oven and keep warm.

While the capsicums and salmon are cooking, prepare the tomato and cucumber salad. Place all ingredients together and mix.

Start plating once the salmon is done. At this point, only the capsicum should be cooking in the oven.