garlic butter blackened salmon scampi with parmesan rice
I am good at two things in life: spewing profanities, and blackening salmon.
I actually went through a salmon drought for a long time because I could not photograph it to save my life. Salmon can be tricky to work with considering it’s pinkish-orange hue that can turn towards the pink or orange spectrum depending on the fish’s mood that day. I also wasn’t really inspired with its preparation.
I think my turning point was with my Maple Cider Glazed Salmon. That shit was it. Then suddenly I realized that I’m not an imbecile when it comes to snapping the perfect salmon photo, and the creative juices started flowing faster than the apparent leak in my complex’s gym. Now, I’m back to loving the process of scaring up a good salmon dish, and of capturing it in the lens.
J called this particular salmon dish “amAZinG!” and while he usually likes what I make, that caliber of enthusiasm isn’t frequent. So this one is real good, peeps. And it’s super simple, too. One skillet, around an hour from prep to nosh – mostly because rice takes a bit to soften up enough to not split your dentures. I included this guy in my Christmas menu because it’s indulgent and hearty, but won’t take a thousand years to create. Even less time to eat.
That parmesan rice, too, is pretty ridiculous. Nothing overly fancy, just lots of aromatic goodness and some veggies to bulk it up and make your house smell like savory holiday cheer.
Scamper Right Over for Scampi
Get yourself a good big slab of salmon, cut it up into some fat filets, and dry it well with paper towels. This is key to crisping the flesh real nice and creating that crusty blackened skin.
My blackening season appears in almost any recipe I dub “blackened,” from shrimp to salmon and whatever other shit I’ve blackened over time. Always smoked paprika, a bit of cayenne, some dried oregano, black pepper, and trusty garlic and onion powders. Rub the salmon all over with the seasoning, and don’t forget a bit of salt, too.
Heat some oil and sear the fish until nice and crispy, and starting to flake with a form. Move the salmons off to a shallow casserole dish, something with raised edges since you’ll be dousing them with the scampi sauce momentarily.
Speaking of: the scampi sauce. What is it? Lots of butter and garlic, some lemon, a little wine. Stir it up in that skillet, loosening some of the crispy bits left from the salmon while you do, until somewhat reduced. Pour the sauce carefully over your fish.
Twice the Rice
Is twice as nice?
Yep, you read that right before: the same skillet will make the parmesan rice. Of course you could always steam up some regular rice, but this is the perfect accompaniment to the salmon and lifts the dish to a higher pedestal. I’d call it a requirement for the full scampi experience.
Enlist a little more butter and your mirepoix veggies – onion, carrot, and celery – then add garlic as well as some fresh thyme and sage. Stir it around, then pour in your rice and some veggie broth. Simmer down the rice until tender. Finish off with a pop of fresh parmesan.
Easy, right?
Toss together a green salad of cucumber, tomato, red onion, and a light vinaigrette and serve alongside this meal. The leftovers are even more wonderful since the rice soaks up more of its sauce over time. Just don’t make the mistake I did and dish out a portion expecting it to be good two weeks later. Learned that the hard way at work when suddenly I had no lunch to eat.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Dish the fish, bish:
Blackened Peach Bruschetta Salmon
One Skillet Cranberry Braised Salmon
Sheet Pan Hot Honey Balsamic Salmon
Bourbon Brown Sugar Salmon with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
garlic butter blackened salmon scampi with parmesan rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb salmon, cut into 4-6 filets
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
parmesan rice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup carrot, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups white rice
- 3 cups vegetable broth, or water
- 3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Toss together the smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Rub all over the salmon until thoroughly coated. Wash your fucken hands before you touch anything else.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Working in batches as needed, sear the salmon 3-4 minutes per side until tender and blackened. Move to a shallow dish.
- To the same skillet, add the butter, garlic, shallot, and thyme. Saute until the butter browns, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the wine and lemon juice and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2-3 minutes longer. Pour the sauce over the salmon filets.
- In the same skillet, make the parmesan rice. Melt the butter and stir in the onion, carrot, and celery until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and sage for 2-3 minutes longer until very fragrant. Stir in the rice, then dump in the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 12-15 minutes until the rice is tender and the water is mostly, but not totally, absorbed. Stir in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate the parmesan rice and top with a salmon filet. Drizzle with the scampi sauce.
