Jessica Merchant describes herself as "seriously, passionately, inexplicably in love with food." She writes about her adventures in the kitchen on her blog, How Sweet Eats. And now her family-friendly recipes are featured in a new cookbook, The Pretty Dish.
She says her family has salmon every week, because it's loaded with nutrition. So, she has come up with this quick way to prepare it -- covered with a rub of brown sugar, spices and barbecue sauce, broiled in the oven and then topped with a mango salsa.
Merchant notes, pineapple or peaches can be substituted for the mango. You will likely have a bit of lime butter leftover. It is delicious slathered on corn-on-the-cob.
Blackened Barbecue Salmon With Mango Salsa
Salsa:
1 mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 teaspoons silver tequila (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Salmon:
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 to 16 ounces salmon filet(s)
Barbecue sauce of your choice
Lime Butter:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Grated zest of 1/4 lime
Pinch coarse sea salt
To make the mango salsa: In a bowl, combine the mango, onion, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, lime zest and juice, tequila and salt. Toss well. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
To make the barbecue salmon: Heat broiler to high and set the oven rack about 6 below it.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chile powder, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the salmon fillet. Brush with the barbecue sauce.
Broil the salmon for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just opaque and flaky.
To make the lime butter:
In a bowl, stir together the butter, lime zest and salt until combined.
While the salmon is still hot, dot the lime butter over top and let it melt. Top with the mango salsa and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
Recipe adapted from The Pretty Dish by Jessica Merchant
Food on 06/06/2018