Blackened Salmon

Blackened Salmon

I lived a few years in New Orleans and to this day I remember tasting all those traditional NOLA dishes like it was yesterday.  It was such a unique taste and far from the food I grew up on.  This dish has absolutely turned into one of my everyday go-to meals and brings in the creole taste I crave so often!  Blackening seasoning adds a lot of flavor and while you can complement the dish with a beautifully thick remoulade sauce, I find it simply pleasurable with just a squeeze of lemon!!  Blackening seasoning works great on most fish, so I always keep a large batch of blackening seasoning in the back of my spice cabinet!

Blackening Seasoning

5 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Dried Oregano

1 tsp. Dried Thyme

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

1/2 tsp. White Peper

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

To Blacken Salmon:

I take a small 6 oz. salmon fillet and salt lightly and then coat the salmon with the blackening seasoning.  In a small skillet I add about 2 Tbs of olive oil and heat until it runs fast around the pan.  You always want to add fish to a hot skillet!  Adding fish to a cold skillet will cause the fish to remain limp and absorb too much of the oil.  By adding fish to a hot skillet you will get that nice crisp that seals in the natural juices of the fish.  Saute the fish on each side over medium heat for about 3-4 min each side depending on the thickness of your fillet.  If you have a really thick fillet you can go ahead and finish the cooking in a 400 degree oven for a couple of minutes.   Salmon is paired well with wild rice and steamed broccoli.  This is a great satisfying low-calorie dish!

Enjoy!