With our sons back on the west coast now until Thanksgiving I decided my husband and I were due a lighter, healthier dinner. I love making my sons’ favorite foods, but somehow salmon never turns up on their list! Being that I had some wild salmon fillets in the freezer, Broiled Salmon with Sweet Pea, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Lemon Spaghetti got the nod.
This is a recipe from “New New Orleans Cooking”, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, which I found online and have made several times. It calls for his Essence Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast). Some time ago I had mixed up a batch for a jambalaya recipe, and found I still had plenty left.
Although Emeril’s Essence is available in the stores, it’s easy to put together since the spices are most likely in your kitchen.
The following recipe will yield 2/3 cup
2 and ½ tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Broiled Salmon with Sweet Pea, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Lemon Spaghetti serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti (use whole grain if you like)
½ cup extra- virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 cup diced red onion (I didn’t have enough red so I combined it with white)
3 cloves garlic,sliced, plus 1 tablespoon minced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t like it spicy)
1 cup tomato sauce (any will do, but I used my own which was in the freezer)
¾ cup thinly sliced olive oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe above ( again, if you don’t like it too spicy, you can adjust)
2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano leaves
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Adjust the oven rack to the top rung in the oven and preheat broiler.
Set a 6-quart pot with a pasta cooker insert over high heat, and fill with 1-gallon of water. Bring to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt to the pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat, and add ¼ cup of the olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute until the onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, tomato sauce and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Add about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water to the pan as well as the pasta and peas. Season with salt and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is fully cooked, and well dressed with the sauce. Reserve until the fish is cooked.
Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil (I used parchment paper) and drizzle with the olive oil. Slice each salmon fillet into several ½ inch slices (not cutting through all the way), and season with the Essence. Lay the salmon, shingled in 4 portions on the sheet pan and sprinkle the oregano and lemon juice on top. Combine the remaining ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic in a small bowl and pour over the salmon. Set under the broiler and cook until the salmon is slightly caramelized on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, divide the pasta among 4 entree plates, sprinkle with the Parmesan and lay a portion of salmon atop each plate of pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley and more Parmesan if desired.
