If you have a tendency to burn things in the kitchen, then this recipe is for you! Well, not exactly. Don’t be fooled by the beautiful crust on this salmon—it’s packed with toasty flavor. The trick to this recipe is bringing our Cajun spice rub just past the point of caramelized in a hot skillet while bringing the salmon itself to a perfectly moist and flaky doneness. But there’s not much to it, and our recipe guides you all the way.
Apart from the spicy pepper sauce, which tops the quick-to-cook blackened salmon, my favorite part of this recipe is the couldn’t-be-easier caesar dressing. In our recipe, the dressing is made without the classic raw egg, replacing it with mayonnaise. I hold caesar salads to a high standard (or rather, their dressings, which can be awful), so I wasn’t sure about that twist, but all it took was a taste to make me a convert. I’ll be using this recipe (and that genius substitute) in the future for fast, delicious caesar salad.
Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad
From the Nordstrom Marketplace Cafe, Ruscello and our Friends and Family Cookbook
(Serves 6)
Spicy Pepper Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon water
To make the spicy pepper sauce, in a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, cayenne, Tabasco, paprika, lemon juice, granulated garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and water. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you are able to find a restaurant-style squeeze bottle, streaking the sauce of the salad makes an attractive presentation. Transfer the sauce to a squeeze bottle or to a covered jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.
Cajun Blackening Spice
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
To make the Cajun blackening spice, in a small bowl combine the salt, sugar, pepper, granulated garlic and onion, cayenne, paprika, thyme and oregano. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
Caesar Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 olive-oil-packed anchovy fillet, patted dry and minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
To make the caesar dressing, in a bowl combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, anchovy, Parmesan, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.
Salmon Preparation and Salad Assembly
6 salmon fillets (5 ounces each), skin off
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large heads romaine lettuce, trimmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
2 cups homemade or store-bought croutons
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, cut into wedges
To prepare the salmon, coat both sides of the fillets with some of the Cajun blackening spice. Heat a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat until a bead of water sprinkled in the pan sizzles and evaporates immediately. Add the canola oil, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, and then carefully place the salmon fillets in the pan without crowding. (Blacken the salmon in 2 batches, if necessary.) Cook the salmon undisturbed until it blackens on the first side, and then turn the salmon and blacken the other side. Adjust the heat if the salmon is blackening too quickly. Cook the salmon until the fish flakes easily and all translucence is gone, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat and keep the salmon warm while assembling the salad.
To assemble the salad, pour the caesar dressing into a large bowl, top with romaine and then the Parmesan, croutons and lemon juice. Toss the salad until the greens are evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the salad to chilled salad bowls, building height in the center. Lean a portion of the blackened salmon on each salad. Top each salad with additional Parmesan cheese. Streak each salad, especially the salmon, with some of the spicy pepper sauce. Set a wedge of lemon on the side of each bowl and serve immediately.
Try these recipes and others at a Nordstrom restaurant near you, and find more recipes to make at home in our What’s Cooking series and Nordstrom Cookbooks (available in selected Nordstrom restaurants and Ebars).
Have a favorite dish or beverage from our restaurants or cookbooks that you’d like to see featured? Let us know in the comments!
—Jeff Powell (photos and intro)
via Nordstrom Fashion Blog http://ift.tt/21TV5jc
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