Salmon with Sesame Crust, Black Rice, and Dill-Lemon Sauce

Wash and finely dice the zucchini, mushrooms, and white onion.

Chop fresh parsley for garnish and fresh dill for the sauce.

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels.

Season salmon fillets with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a small bowl for the sauce.

Rinse the black rice under cold water.

Combine black rice with 375 ml of water and a pinch of salt in a small pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and cover.

Simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Stir in 10 ml of sesame oil into the cooked rice.

Keep the rice covered and warm.

Heat 15 ml of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the diced white onion to the pan.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Add the diced mushrooms to the pan.

Sauté for another 5-7 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.

Add the diced zucchini to the pan.

Cook for 3-5 minutes until the zucchini is tender-crisp.

Season the vegetables with a pinch of black pepper, 2 g of ground coriander, and 2 g of ground cumin.

Stir well to combine the spices.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread 30 g of sesame seeds on a plate.

Stir the egg in a plate.

Gently press each salmon fillet into the egg, then sesame seeds to coat both sides.

Heat 15 ml of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

Place the sesame-crusted salmon fillets in the hot pan.

Cook for 15 seconds on each side, then another 1-2 minutes on the skin side until crispy.

Remove the salmon from the pan and keep warm.

In the same pan used for salmon (or a separate small saucepan), melt 30 g of butter over medium-low heat.

Add 50 ml of white wine to the pan.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.

Stir in the fresh chopped dill.

Add the lemon juice to the sauce.

Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste.

Portion the cooked black rice onto plates.

Place a generous serving of the sautéed vegetables next to the rice.

Spoon the dill-lemon white wine sauce onto the plate.

Carefully place the sesame-crusted salmon fillets on top of the sauce.

Garnish the vegetables with fresh chopped parsley.

Optionally, add a small sprig of fresh dill on the salmon for extra aroma.