Blackened Salmon with Moyo Sauce
Blackened Salmon with Moyo Sauce
Blackened Salmon with Moyo Sauce
By Pierre Thiam and Lisa Katayama (@chefpierrethiam and @tokyomango)
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Author:
By Pierre Thiam and Lisa Katayama (@chefpierrethiam and @tokyomango)
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Reprinted with permission from Simply West African by Pierre Thiam with Lisa Katayama, copyright Pierre Thiam © 2023. Photographs by Evan Sung. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Salmon is one of the most nutritious, versatile fish in the sea. The key to making perfect salmon is to find a center cut—the thicker the better—and cook it in a cast-iron skillet, which conducts heat well and therefore allows the surface of the salmon to sear and blacken quickly without overcooking the whole fish. Always preheat your cast-iron skillet until it’s very hot before adding the salmon, and avoid crowding the skillet with too many fillets at once. The fish should sit comfortably in the skillet, with plenty of room around it.
Ingredients
Moyo Sauce
-
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup finely diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
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¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chili, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
-
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salmon
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4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Spice Blend
-
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
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1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
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1 tablespoon onion powder
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2 teaspoons fine sea salt
-
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
-
¼ teaspoon dried basil
-
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
For Serving
-
Moyo Sauce
-
Cooked rice or atieke
Directions
Make the Moyo Sauce
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, oil, garlic, habanero, lime juice, mustard (if using), salt, and pepper, and fold together with a large spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve cold or at room temperature. (Store the sauce in a resealable jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Make the Salmon
Prepare the Spice Blend: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne, onion powder, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, and oregano, and mix well.
Brush each salmon fillet on both sides with approximately 1 teaspoon of the oil, then sprinkle the spice blend evenly over both sides of each fillet.
In a large, heavy cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. Add the salmon, flesh-side down, and cook until blackened, 2 to 3 minutes, without disturbing the fish (be sure to have your windows open and your exhaust fan on in case it gets smoky). Using a spatula or a pair of tongs, carefully flip the fillets. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the skin is crisp and blackened and the flesh is easily flaked with a fork, 5 to 6 more minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets).
Serve hot, topped with moyo sauce, and with the rice or starch of your choice on the side.
