Herbed Blackened Salmon Fillets

You know you’re in trouble when you can’t zip your jeans !!  And you know you’re in trouble when your doctor tells you that you’ve gained 13 pounds in three months !!  POSSIBLE REASONS FOR THIS WEIGHT GAIN.  1. Trip to ‘all-inclusive’ resort in Cancun in October.   2.  Holiday Eating… beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with a two-week trip to Florida during Christmas and the New Year.   3.  Copious amounts of cooking during said trip, which meant copious amounts of eating – not to mention copious amounts of white wine and just lazing around like a nice, warm happy slug in the sunshine.  Oh, I forgot to mention Margaritas in both Mexico and Florida… yes… copious amounts!

I refuse give in and buy new jeans, so I’ve decided to begin taking care of myself and eating right. My guideline for this new endeavor is the Mayo Clinic’s ‘Dash Diet Program’ which is NOT a diet.  Rather, it’s an excellent guide to eating well.  And by eating well you lose weight, have more energy and also lower your blood pressure and possibly your cholesterol.

Herbed Blackened Salmon Fillets is the first of several posts which will feature delicious, healthy recipes.  I do hope you come along on this new journey with me.  If you’re already eating healthy, you might find a few new ideas.  Or, if you’re like me and need to lose some weight to improve your life, you may discover recipes to inspire you.  ++ I’ll keep you all informed as to my ‘progress’ with the too-small jeans!

Salmon Fillet = uneven thickness                           Salmon Steaks = even throughout.

INGREDIENTS            ++ Enough salmon for 2 servings

• 1 lb. salmon fillet   OR   1 lb. salmon steak
•           Blackening Seasoning
• 1/4  to  1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash ‘Garlic & Herbs’    ++  Contains no salt !
• 1/2  tsp. Italian Seasoning

METHOD

Rinse salmon and pat dry with paper towels.  Place salmon on a plate.  In a small bowl, mix blackening seasoning  ingredients .

++ For salmon fillet with skin on one side, rub blackening seasoning on the flesh side of the fillet only.   (You won’t need all the seasoning.)       ++ Allow fish to rest for 10 minutes.

++  For skinless salmon fillet  OR  salmon steak, rub 1/2 the blackening seasoning on one side of fish.  Repeat on other side.                      ++ Allow fish to rest for 10 minutes.

Drizzle about 2 Tbs. olive oil in large, heavy skillet. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.  (Skillet is hot enough when a bit of water, sprinkled onto heated skillet, ‘dances’.)

Lower heat to medium.

++  For Salmon Fillet

• Place salmon fillet, skin side down, in center of heated skillet.
• Cook for about 3 minutes, depending upon thickness of fillet.   ++ Cooked skin should peel right off !!
• Flip fish and continue cooking for another  3 minutes or so.

++  Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the fillet.  My fillet was rather thin, so I cooked it for 3 minutes on the first side and only 2 minutes on the second side.

++ Cooked salmon will be lighter in color and should look opaque.  Use your best judgement.  It’s actually better to undercook fish slightly than to overcook it.

++  For Salmon Steak

• Place salmon steak in center of heated skillet.
• Due to the thicker nature of salmon steaks, they take just a bit longer to cook.
• Turn the fish when the bottom half looks opaque.
• Continue cooking another 5 – 8 minutes.

++  Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the salmon steak.

++  Cooked salmon will be lighter in color and should look opaque.  Use your best judgement.  It’s actually better to undercook fish slightly than to overcook it !

Recipe adapted from ‘The DASH Diet for Beginners’.

Photo of organic salmon steak courtesy of ‘Graig Farm’.