WILD SALMON CALIFORNIA BOWLS

Servings 4

1½ cups uncooked quinoa rinsed if desired
2 large firm but ripe avocados, pitted and peeled: ½ avocado reserved for dressing, 1/ avocados sliced or cubed
1/ tablespoons chopped shallot about 1 small shallot
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems or mint leaves
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
% teaspoon sea salt plus more for seasoning salmon
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound wild skin-on salmon cut into 4 equal-size fillets
1 tablespoon unrefined cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee
1 4-ounce container sprouts, such as radish or broccoli (use whatever you can find)
2 small watermelon radishes trimmed, halved, and julienned
2 oranges navel or Cara Cara are both great, peeled and chopped

Combine the quinoa and 2¼ cups of water in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, but keep covered while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Prepare the dressing: In a food processor or blender, combine the pitted and skinned avocado half, shallot, cilantro, vinegar, salt, pepper to taste, and three tablespoons of water. Blend until smooth and creamy. If the dressing is too thick, add a little water, a teaspoon at a time. This makes about ¾ cup of salad dressing.
Season the salmon with a sprinkle of salt and pepper on the fleshy side. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the salmon, skin side up. Cook for 2 minutes. Flip the salmon over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until medium rare in the center. Cook longer if desired. Scoop the quinoa into individual bowls and top each with one piece of salmon, plus sprouts, watermelon radish, avocado, and orange chunks. Drizzle with the avocado dressing.