Whenever my sister-in-law visits, we’re always trying to figure out what hearty vegetarian dish to make. We usually stick with salmon or some other fish, but after a while I was bored with salmon. We realized we kept making the same thing every time she visited: salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli. Then we started making salmon and quinoa salad too often. On a visit to her house, we ventured down a new salmon path.
Making the blackened salmon with corn salsa
Only a few things make up this dish: rice, corn salsa, and salmon. You may not think blackened salmon and corn salsa goes well together, but it does. I used my own corn salsa recipe for this dish. Make it ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge. For the rice, just season it with a little lime and cilantro. The the salmon needs the bulk of your attention, so try to get the other two out of the way first so you can enjoy a warm meal.
When blackening the salmon, make sure you have great ventilation. When you heat up your pan, your oil will go in afterwards and you won’t start to blacken the salmon until the oil starts to smoke. You’ll only do this for a total of eight minutes or so (including flipping), but it’ll get smokey. So turn on the vent, open those windows and just trust us on this one.
And then there’s a lemon butter sauce. It’s exactly what it sounds like, and we’re adding a shallot and garlic. This brings everything together.
Blackened Salmon and Corn Salsa Rice Bowl
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Loading...Ingredients
- Corn Salsa
- 1 small bag of frozen corn
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 green jalapeños
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Cilantro-Lime Rice
- 2 cups rice
- 2 tsp cilantro, chopped
- Juice from 1/2 a lime
- Blackened Salmon
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cayenne
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 salmon filets (~6oz), with skin
- 4 tbsp canola oil
- Lemon Butter Sauce
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Juice from 3 lemons, Zest from 1 of the lemons
- Small bunch fresh parsley
- 6 individual tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Corn Salsa
Warm the corn and peppers on on the stove and let cool.
Combine all ingredients up until lime juice.
Add salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste.
Stir and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour (ideally more than 2hrs). We'd recommend letting sit in the fridge overnight for better flavors.
Cilantro-Lime Rice
Cook 2 cups of rice until tender and fluffy.
Mix in cilantro and lime juice.
Set aside.
Blackened Salmon
Add the paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and salt to a small bowl and mix.
Spread this spice blend on a large plate and coat the salmon on the skin side.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil starts to smoke heavily shut off the heat.
Skin to pan, add the salmon to the pan. Turn the heat back on and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip the salmon to the other side. Cook the salmon over medium heat, until the skin becomes crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Set aside.
Lemon Butter Sauce
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once melted, add the shallot. Stir frequently for about a minute, until it softens and starts to turn translucent.
Add the garlic and stir together with the shallot. Cook and stir for about 1-2 minutes or until they start to turn golden.
Pour in the lemon juice and 1 cup of vegetable broth.
Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Boil the sauce until it is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
Whisk in the remaining butter and lemon zest until all is melted and combined.
Add 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir.
Sprinkle the parsley and combine.
Taste and season with more salt as needed.
The Bowls
To make the bowls, scoop some rice into a serving bowl.
Layer with a little corn salsa.
Top with salmon, and drop on some more salsa.
Drizzle butter sauce over everything.
Notes
Think about other vegetables to pair with this. We made some roasted asparagus and layered between the salmon and the rice. Add lemon wedges or slices for garnish.
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