Blackened Salmon with Cucumber and Avocado Salad
Coral and bright fuchsia pink peony bouquets dot my kitchen island and dining table and are tucked into little jam jars, displayed on book cases and coffee tables all around the house.
I treated myself to an armful of peonies from Adeline’s Peony Farm in Zillah over the weekend and their happy colors are brightening my week every time my eye catches on one of the simple bouquets.
My garden is coming alive with little lettuces poking out of the ground and the sweet peas and green beans beginning their climb up the trellis waiting for them. My raspberry bushes are bursting with new growth and lots of blossoms, giving me hope for a bumper crop this year.
My beloved chickens are on the naughty list currently, after I so generously let them free range the backyard and then found them enjoying dirt baths in my garden beds, disrupting my fragile seeds, alternating between digging in the dirt and eating the seeds I had just planted. They are back in the coop until further notice.
Evenings are usually spent on the baseball or lacrosse fields but with the sun setting later and later, I can usually sneak an evening walk in through the orchards, letting the dogs run, enjoying the sound of the breeze rustling the trees. I love to sit on the back patio, watching the poplar trees bend and dance in the evening wind.
Dinners are simple and quick most nights. We seem to rotate through the same easy meals that can be eaten on the go or will stay mostly appetizing whether you eat at 4pm or 9pm. But every once in a while, when we’re all home together (or at least most of us), that alone calls for a good meal.
This easy blackened salmon is so flavorful and delicious and no joke takes less than 30 minutes to throw together start to finish. Salmon filets are coated in a delicious spice rub, full of ingredients you likely already have on hand. A quick bake in the oven, giving you just enough time to start a batch of rice and make a super simple cucumber and avocado salad to go with it. The salmon comes out of the oven right about the time the rice finishes cooking. The cucumber and avocado salad gets piled high on the fish and dinner is ready.
This is one of those meals I reach for over and over again in the springtime because the fresh and full bodied flavors feel extra special without a ton of effort or time spent in the kitchen. Which means we can all get back outside to enjoy the beautiful evenings that much quicker. The salmon could certainly be cooked on an outdoor grill, so if you prefer to barbecue the fish instead, go for it. The cucumber and avocado salad calls for a spoonful of garlic chili crisp, which can be found in the International foods section at any grocery store. It has a little kick to it but its not spicy. If you prefer to skip that ingredient, you will still have a lovely and bright cucumber salad. Try it with and without the chili crisp and see which version you like better.
Blackened Salmon with Cucumber and Avocado Salad
2 pounds wild alaskan salmon filets
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried onion
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon on the baking sheet and pat the filets dry with a paper towel.
Drizzle the salmon with olive oil. In a small bowl combine the dried spices and salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Liberally coat each piece of salmon with the spice rub, using clean hands to gently press the spice mixture into the fish.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the salmon easily flakes with a fork. The timing on salmon can vary a little bit based on how thick your piece of fish is. Watch it closely in the oven and as soon as it begins to flake; its done.
While the salmon cooks in the oven, make a batch of rice following the instructions provided on the bag of rice (or making it to your preference).
To serve, transfer the salmon to a plate and scoop the cucumber and avocado salad on top the fish. Serve alongside a scoop of rice and a squeeze of lemon.
Cucumber and Avocado Salad
1 English cucumber, diced
2 avocados, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chives, chopped
Juice of a lemon
1/2 tablespoon chili garlic crisp
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.