Blackened Salmon

On the Menu: blackened salmon, oven roasted gold potatoes, oven roasted asparagus

After an easy afternoon of babysitting (Harlee slept the whole time; I knitted), it was time to cook a delicious dinner.  This menu is one anyone can make.  Even if you don’t know how to cook, there’s nothing easier than rubbing some spices on a salmon filet and putting it in on a hot skillet.  An added bonus: it’s quick.  Two to 5 minutes on both sides, and you’re done.  This menu is great for the working parent, someone short on time but wants a delicious meal, or a busy mom whose baby won’t sit still for longer than 15 minutes (thankfully, Harlee was content to sit in his  bouncy chair while we cooked).

Here’s the line-up:

Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

About 3lbs Yukon gold potatoes, quartered

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cracked pepper

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Toss together to coat the potatoes, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, place in preheated 400° oven, roast for 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

**Jami's note - I made this up, so all of these ingredients are estimated, as is the cooking time.  My mom-brain caused me to forget to check how long I left them in the oven!

Oven-Roasted Asparagus
     adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oven-roasted-asparagus/detail.aspx

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ lemon, juiced

Preheat oven to 425°
Toss ingredients to coat the spears, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until tender.  Squeeze the lemon over the spears before serving.

**Note:  Hold the asparagus spears at both ends and bend until they snap - they'll naturally break right where they start to get woody, leaving behind the tasty tender part to eat!


Blackened Salmon Filets
     adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blackened-salmon-fillets/detail.aspx

2 tbsp ground paprika
½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp onion salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil1
1 tsp dried oregano
4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
½ cup unsalted olive oil

In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion salt, pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.  Brush salmon fillets on both sides with 1/4 cup olive oil, and rub evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with 1/2 remaining oil. 
In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, oil side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining oil, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.