Honey Glazed Baked Salmon with Chilled Smoked Scallops, Roasted Peppers & Orzo

Serves two

Ingredients (For the salmon):

1. .75 pounds of salmon fillet
2. 1 tsp of chipotle peppers, very finely chopped, seeds removed
3. 1 clove of garlic, blanched and mashed to a paste
4. 1 tb honey

Procedure

Mix together chipotle peppers, garlic paste and honey. Brush onto salmon, bake on cast iron grill for 20 to 25 mins. at 300 degrees.

Ingredients (For the salad):

1. 4 smoked scallops (available at fish counter), thinly sliced
2. 2 roasted red peppers (available at supermarket, or handmade*), roughly chopped
3. 1/3 cup orzo
4. extra virgin olive oil
5. dash of red wine vinegar
6. salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Bring half a pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook as directed on package (about 7 minutes for al dente), when finished, shock in cold water to stop cooking process. Mix orzo, red peppers, and sliced smoked scallops in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, start with a dash of red wine vinegar and add salt and pepper. While whisking briskly add enough olive oil to the vinegar to emulsify (mixture will get cloudy). Immediately pour this mixture over the orzo mixture and mix thoroughly. Put in refrigerator to cool down until salmon is finished

Serve salmon next to the orzo salad.

Addendum

* If using oil packed red peppers, drain off oil before using and use less oil in the dressing. To make roasted peppers: Cut two red peppers in half lengthwise, removing stems, seeds, and white pulp. Flatten, by crushing with the broad side of a butcher's knife. Place the peppers, skin side up on aluminum-lined baking sheet. Place in broiler until skin is severely blackened. Take out and and allow to cool until the peppers can just be comfortably handled (should still be very warm). At this point, the skin can be removed very easily.

This dish works well with a simple green salad and a glass of prosecco.