Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Mango and Avocado Salsa

I’m trying to vary my diet and introduce more fish into it. I’m getting there. And, let’s face it, if I put any more chicken recipes up here I’ll have to change the name of the blog to 101 Ways With Chicken!  I’m not a fish lover and tend to go for white fish if I’m ordering it. Salmon makes me nervous and I have rarely attempted to cook it. I should not have worried. This is so easy and ready in minutes.

I wanted something really vibrant and fresh to cut through the oiliness of the salmon, so I knew this salsa would be perfect for that. The rub was another matter and something I put a lot of research into. I was going to use a cajun rub that I regularly use on chicken, but decided I wanted something with a bit more bite. The spice on this salmon is more warm than hot. There is chilli in the salsa so that adds more kick to it. You could add some chilli powder to the rub if you want more heat. The sugar caramalises nicely into a little crust on the fish.

I have served this with oven baked sweet potato fries. (I’m not 100% happy with them yet so I’ll share a recipe if I’m satisfied with it.) You could serve it with rice, or in a salad. If you have extra salmon cook it all and flake the leftover cold salmon into a wrap with the salsa and a yogurt dressing.

If you decide not to make the salsa – why? – add some lemon zest to the rub as you do need a bit of citrus in this.

Serves 2

 

 

Ingredients:

For the salsa

• ½ a small red onion, finely diced
• The juice of ½ a lime
• 1 small avocado
• ½ a mango
• ½ a medium red chilli
• Salt and pepper
• A few fresh coriander leaves

• 2 salmon fillets, approx 150g each
• 1 tbsp of soft dark or light brown sugar
• 1 tsp of hot smoked paprika
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• ½ tsp of garlic granules
• 1 tsp of lemon zest (optional, see notes above)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Method:

• Start by making the salsa. Put the finely diced onion into a small bowl and cover with the lime juice. This allows the juice to cure the onions and will remove the raw taste from them.
• Meanwhile peel and finely dice the mango and finely chop the chilli. Do not cut the avocado until you start to cook the salmon so that it doesn’t discolour.
• For the salmon, heat a griddle pan or frying pan over a medium heat. Put the sugar, paprika, cumin and garlic into a shallow dish and mix well together. Add the lemon zest if using. Pat the salmon dry with some kitchen paper so that the rub sticks to it properly.
• Completely cover the salmon in the rub and season with a little salt and pepper. Brush a little oil onto the griddle pan and place the salmon skin side down onto the pan. Leave the salmon in place for about 3 minutes before turning. If the salmon sticks when you try to turn it then it is not ready, leave it for another 30 seconds or so.
• Peel and dice the avocado and add it, the mango and chilli to the red onions and mix well together. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add more lime juice if you like. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.
• Turn the salmon and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sugar has started to caramelise. The length of time it takes to cook a fillet depends on how well you like it cooked and the thickness of the fish. I like mine just cooked through so I give it about 6 minutes in total cooking time. I picked up a good tip from Rory Kelly which says to stick the tip of a knife into the middle of the fish, hold for a few seconds and then touch the knife to your lip – if it is warm it is cooked.
• Serve it immediately with the salsa.