As the weather warms up, you might be looking for grilling ideas, and what's better on the grill than a delicious seared salmon! And why not make it a little more special and flavorful. Jess Larson, who's writing the cooking blog, Plays Well With Butter, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Grilled Salmon Tacos. She says they are full of flavor and spice, and really can make a spring or summertime barbeque or picnic. Jess told Tonia that she likes to use wild-caught Salmon from Alaska, and season it up on the grill!
- 1 pound fresh salmon fillets, skin removed and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- For the Green Sauce-
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup buttermilk (or 1 scant teaspoon lemon juice + scant ¼ cup milk)
- 2 large, juicy limes, juiced (approx. ¼ cup juice)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (approx. 1 cup loosely packed leaves and tender stems)
- 1 medium jalapeno, deseeded as desired and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 green onions, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- Optional: Prepare the green sauce: In a food processor, combine all listed ingredients for the sauce. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Season the salmon: In a large bowl, combine the salmon cubes with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Toss until the fish is well coated.
- Sear the salmon: Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the salmon. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip and cook another 90 seconds to 2 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer the seared salmon to a plate and squeeze fresh lime juice over top
- Assemble the taco bowls: Build your seared salmon taco bowls as desired. I love starting with a base of shredded cabbage and cilantro lime rice, then topping with fish, pico de gallo or salsa, avocado or guacamole, a generous drizzle of green sauce, and finely chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
