Middle Eastern Cuisine is definitely hot right now (pun intended)! Check out my latest dish that draws its inspiration from Israel— Schug-Crusted Salmon with Israeli Couscous Salad. 

So what is Schug (sometimes spelled skhug)? It’s a flavourful hot sauce/relish/paste that can be red or green, depending on the peppers you use. It mixes coriander and cumin with garlic, olive oil and citrus, but every family has their own recipe, so there really is no one way to make it. Just research and have fun! For this dish, one of our spice partners hooked me up with a Schug spice rub, so I gave it a try with salmon.

Keep reading for a quick how-to on how I made and plated my Schug Crusted Salmon.

Start by portioning your Atlantic Salmon sides and then crust them with your Schug spice. 

Then, give them a quick sear to lock in the spices and form a crust (my spice rub was very bold so I only crusted one side of my salmon, but do what you think is best for yours). After that, transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment and finish them in the oven. 

To balance the heat of the Schug spice, I topped my salmon with a mint Labneh (yogurt that has been strained, resulting in a thicker consistency). And for my side, I made an Israeli couscous salad using pearl couscous, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese, coriander and a honey-lime dressing.

And there you have it: Schug Salmon with Israeli couscous salad. A middle-eastern dish that packs a punch and tantalizes taste buds.  

Stay hungry my friends!