Name: Jess’ Lemongrass Salmon Curry & Zesty Quinoa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp coconut oil; 1 onion (finely chopped); 4 cloves garlic (I chopped my garlic but since found out Jess minces it); ½ tsp mild chilli (I used extra hot because that's what we had in); 2-3 cm piece of ginger (peeled and grated); 2 lemongrass stalks; ½ tsp turmeric; 500 ml coconut cream (I used 400 ml because that was the size of my can, and I didn't want to open two!); juice of 1 lime; 1 tbsp fish sauce; a pinch of sugar (I forgot to add this); 500 g salmon fillets (skin removed and cut into bite-sized pieces (2-3 cm cubes approximately)); 1 large handful coriander leaves (roughly chopped); 90 g freshly cooked quinoa (to serve (optional grated zest of half a lemon) and the juice of a whole lemon to make the quinoa zesty))

Jump to Recipe

The Daffodils are up, the sun has prevailed over the frost and brings with it signs of new life and hope for the year ahead. If there was ever a recipe that could bridge winter to spring this is it. Fresh, fragrant, comforting and good-for-you food. Jess’ Lemongrass Salmon Curry & Zesty Quinoa is exactly why we started Family Feed – to find new recipes from the family community and share them at our table and with you.

We met Jess in 2008 in Lake Bled, Slovenia. We were interrailing around Eastern Europe and Slovenia was our last stop. Lake Bled is a beautiful place. The lake itself is a mesmerising mix of deep blues, dreamy turquoise and crystal clear water. If you have a taste for the outdoors it is a brilliant camping spot too!

Jess and her friend were also travelling around Eastern Europe and, like many travellers, we bonded over shared accommodation and the funny experience of staying with an old school Slovenian couple. They couldn’t get their heads around our friend Liz’s vegetarianism. I am fairly sure they served her meat every evening despite having many long lost-in-translation conversations about it. After a few days in Slovenia, we parted ways with Jess and while we have never met in person since we have loosely stayed connected – thanks largely to Facebook.

Keeping Connected

Despite the distance, our lives have had some cross over. We share lots of commonalities when it comes to feeding our family. The joy we get from food and the positive impact it has on our wellbeing is another thing that connects us. I admire Jess’ food because it is whole and nutrient-rich. My food lacks that discipline at times but shares Jess’ goal – we feed our families with love.

As a trained nutritionist Jess is always sharing ideas, snacks, recipes and inspiration around feel-good food on her Instagram. I have watched as she and Tom, her husband, uprooted their life and business from London in pursuit of a life that would bring them more sunshine, the outdoors, access to delicious food all on a special island close to Jess’ Mum.

In 2017 Jess and Tom moved to Menorca where they have made a home for their family and their community (both in-person and online). You can experience one of their yoga retreats for yourself, taste their food and draw energy and motivation from Jess and Tom’s approach to life and health. You can also join them as part of their online training community where you can access their wisdom and energy from the comfort of your own home.

Mum’s the word

When Jess and I chatted about family, food, work and health I was moved by the connection Jess’ food has with her Mum… Like Jess, my Mum is my culinary inspiration and from a young age, I was by her side watching and learning. Jess talks about the connection she shares with her Mum through food.

I learnt to cook primarily from my mum, who trained as a Nutritional Therapist 30+ years ago and has always been very health conscious. This inspired me to go on and study Nutritional Therapy as well, as I loved the idea of helping people make inspired food choices, knowing the health benefits that certain foods can bring to the body.

I would come home from school and my mum would have made a big batch of carrot, orange, apple and ginger juice which I would devour with a straw straight from the big glass jar. From an early age, I knew food made me feel alive and happy. Together we cook all the food on our yoga and fitness retreats here in Menorca and it’s such a lovely way to spend time together. My mum will make a lot of the lunches and dinners, and I make the breakfasts, hiking/picnic, snacks and desserts.

In 2010 I qualified as a Nutritional Therapist, and I’ve helped thousands of men and women with their health. Primarily with their weight loss goals as this is the area I accidentally fell into working as the in-house Nutritionist in personal training studios in London. I would go to my clients home and run small group cooking workshops for their family and friends. Now I live in Menorca, I cook for my clients here on the island and it gives me so much joy. Food makes such a difference to our mood and energy and teaching people how to prepare food that tastes delicious as well as contains all the nutritional components that our bodies need to thrive.

You get a taste of Jess’ approach to food, health and lifestyle and you better believe the backdrop of Menorca is a very appealing pull. I can see why they made it their home. As I write this story Boris Johnson has just announced his road map taking us out of lockdown… again! I long to be at the beach this summer, to have friends in the garden and real connection in our lives. The winter has been a testing time for many this year and now that hope is afoot I see myself cooking food that embraces the spring, summer and the outdoors.

Year-round satisfaction

What I love about this Lemongrass Salmon Curry is that it eats so well on a cold, dark winter’s night but I can already see us in the garden, at the height of summer enjoying this meal. It is fit for all seasons. I asked Jess when and why she cooks this dish.

I’ll make the sauce for this recipe in a big batch and portion it out into freezer bags and pop it in the freezer for another day. This turns the recipe into even more of an ‘any day of the week’ dinner as you then just need to defrost the lemongrass salmon curry sauce, (which always tastes better the second time around once the flavours have mingled), make up some quinoa, and prepare the fish.

We’ll enjoy this recipe on a day where it’s chilly outside and we want something warm, hearty but not too heavy. The ingredient list is so simple, yet the flavours and low preparation and cooking time make the dish incredibly satisfying. I’ll usually add some runner beans on the side to give the plate some healthy greens, and it’s one of both mine and Tom’s favourite dinners.

Immediate family favourite

We had a real feast with this dish. I panfried some green beans, carrots and peppers and added a splash of soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of coriander at the end. We made the zesty quinoa with the lemon zest and juice which we all really enjoyed. But we are a family of citrus lovers… It might be worth tasting the quinoa after adding the lemon juice to see if you want to add the zest – Jess suggests it is optional. The children demolished this dish – the only thing left on the plate was the odd green bean. The salmon is perfect and the curry sauce is so moreish. Next time I cook it I will make extra for the freezer.

I asked Jess what feeding her family means to her.

Feeding my family is everything. It’s the time we debrief on the day, share the little moments that are the big moments in life, and now we have Olive who is 6 months old, watching her face as she tries foods for the first time is so special. I believe the environment in which we eat and the company we share our meals with is as important as the meal itself and I always try and make it a really happy space. We have a tech-free rule at dinners; we sit, we chat and it’s a time of connection.

Half the battle is often the motivation it takes to cook fresh food. We understand that not everyone shares the same passion for cooking and to some, mealtime is full of dread and frustration. But we know that everyone gets moments of inspiration and we know better than anyone that simple food is best placed for a busy family.

We hope that in the moments where you feel empowered to make something new that you will give this a go. It is perfect for families with different dietary needs and preferences. The sauce is dairy-free, fragrant but not spicy and you can make it ahead so that when you come to cook your curry all you need to think about is the salmon, chicken, tofu or veg that you will add to it.

Thank you to Jess and her Mum (who created this recipe) for generously sharing this salmon curry recipe with Family Feed. We continue to watch as Jess and Tom grow their business and one day we hope to join them on a yoga retreat too!