Rose-Kissed Lemon Herb Salmon

A romantic, healthy dinner — lemon herb salmon with blush quinoa and a honey-pear salad. Light, fragrant, and made for slow evenings and sweet company.

Ingredients

• For the salmon: 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp crushed pink peppercorns
• 1 tsp edible rose petals (optional)
• Pinch of sea salt
• For the blush quinoa: 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup finely diced strawberries
• ¼ cup chopped basil
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Pinch of black pepper
• For the honey-pear salad: 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Prepare the salmon: preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the salmon on a parchment-lined tray.
3. Brush with olive oil, lemon zest, thyme, rosemary, and pink peppercorns.
4. Sprinkle rose petals lightly over the top.
5. Bake 12–14 minutes until tender and fragrant.
6. Make the blush quinoa: toss the warm quinoa with strawberries, basil, olive oil, and black pepper.
7. Drizzle with balsamic glaze for that soft blush colour and sweet tang.
8. Build the honey-pear salad: layer the greens, pear slices, and walnuts.
9. Whisk the honey and lemon juice together and drizzle over the top.
10. Plate it: place the salmon slightly overlapping the quinoa.
11. Add the pear salad on the side.
12. Finish with a tiny pinch of rose petals or basil for colour.

Light but indulgent — the salmon and fruit keep it healthy without losing elegance.