Cajun Blackened Salmon

Pan blackened salmon with a Cajun twist on flavor. With so many ways to prepare salmon, this one is easy as the spicing is all in one container from Zatarain's. Sprinkle it liberally for a great Cajun taste.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Salmon fillets 6 to 8 oz.
Zatarain's Blackened Seasoning
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
olive oil spray

PREPARATION:

Wash the salmon thoroughly and trim off any fat around the edges, and pat dry with a paper towel. Lay the salmon onto a plate or cutting board and spray a light misting of olive oil spray, or a light coating of olive oil.

Grind on some fresh black pepper and a lot of Blackened Seasoning. It is quite SPICY! The more the better. So give the fish a nice, even coating of blackened seasoning.* Try to get some on the sides of the fillet as well. And finish up with one last misting of that spray olive oil. The spray keeps the spices in place when putting the fish in the pan.

COOKING:

Place a heavy frying pan on the burner and set the heat on medium high (7 to 8)

When the rim is hot, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into the frying pan. Allow it to warm, then gently lay the fish into it, flesh side down. Leave it there for a 5 to 7 minutes (1" thick) without moving it.

After 6 minutes, lift the fillets and look at the underside of the salmon. If it’s as dark as you want it, flip it over onto the skin side. Continue frying for 2 to 3 minute or so, then turn the heat down to very low or off and letting the residual heat gently finish cooking the middle, 3-5 minutes should do it. Scoop out and serve.

*Several shakes of the blackened seasoning are needed to get the full flavor.