Vegetable Ragout with Steamed Salmon

[Olga Drozd]

Vegetable Ragout with Steamed Salmon

It may be low in fat but it doesn't taste like it.

VEGETABLE RAGOUT:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red onion, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1/3 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 Tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

STEAMED SALMON:

2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Any leftover herb stems
1 lemon, halved
4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces / 185 g. each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

For the ragout, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over high temperature until very hot.  Add the chopped garlic and onion and cook until they begin to give off their aroma, 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the eggplant and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, yellow squash and zucchini, and red pepper and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Add the tomatoes, basil, cumin, and cinnamon and saute the mixture for 2 to 3 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside, keeping the ragout warm.

For the salmon, place the water, crushed garlic, herb stems, and lemon halves in a medium saucepan.  Place a bamboo steamer on top of the saucepan and heat the water just to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place them in the steamer.  Cover and cook until done, 8 to 10 minutes for fillets 1 inch thick.

Place the Steamed Salmon on a bed of the Vegetable Ragout, garnished with fresh basil.  Serve hot.  Serves 4.