Cajun-Spiced Salmon

In his spare time, Daniel Levine, founder of the wildly popular Miami ice cream shop, Dasher & Crank, tests recipes in his home kitchen. Recently, he has spent time experimenting with salmon, in which he discovered the quality, flavor, and consistency of BluGlacier’s award-winning product is almost impossible to beat.

“As with all seafood, your end product is only going to be as good as the quality of what you started with. Go to your favorite fishmonger and get the best quality fish you can find,” Levine recommends. “Remember to always do a sniff-test, if possible. Fresh fish should not have a smell. If it smells fishy then it will taste fishy. What I’ve learned is there’s no question that BluGlacier offers the highest quality salmon at fair prices.”

“With high-quality salmon like BluGlacier’s, I typically sear a fillet on a hot skillet with some salt, pepper, and olive oil,” he explains. “Every now and then, I like to change it up – so here’s an easy salmon recipe that will turn anyone into a fatty fish lover.”

As you enjoy Levine’s salmon, remember his delicious recipe offers more than just flavor. As a lean source of protein, eating salmon has shown to offer numerous health and nutritional benefits, including better heart health, lower blood pressure, and recommended servings of omega-3 fatty acids.

Step 1

Take the salmon fillets and ensure all pin bones are removed and the meat is free of loose scales. While not necessary, I highly recommend getting a cedar plank, soaking it in water for 15-30 minutes, and then cooking the salmon on top of the plank. Not only will this infuse your salmon with a ton of flavor, but it will also make your home smell amazing. The presentation is beautiful, too. Consider this a great way to impress dinner guests! 

Step 2

Season the salmon generously with a Cajun spice blend. You can make your own, but Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic and Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning are both great and available at most major grocers.

Step 3

Next, take some softened butter and Dijon (or any type of mustard) and mix them together into a paste. No need to dirty measuring cups – just eyeball what looks like enough mustard to cover the surface of your salmon and use about half of that much butter. Pro tip: Let the butter get to room temperature first as it will make this step a lot easier.

Step 4

Smear the paste over the salmon and cook in a preheated 450-degree oven. You are cooking at a high temperature, so this shouldn’t take long. Just about 15-20 minutes, but don’t go simply by time. Visual and tactile cues are far more accurate. If the surface doesn’t have much color and the meat is super tender, then it’s rare. If the surface starts to get some golden-brown spots and is slightly firm, then it’s medium-rare, etc. I like to pull my salmon out at medium, in which the fish flakes easily and has a golden-brown crust with tender and moist meat. Salmon is quite forgiving, so don’t go too crazy if you over or under cook it. 

Step 5

A drizzle of truffle oil as a garnish will elevate this dish to another level.