Spring Break Dish

March is a great month. There are a number of holidays like Easter and Saint Patrick's Day, there is college basketball, and of course there is spring break. March also is a month of transition from the cold winter into a much warmer season. Enjoy your spring break with this excellent recipe:

 

Blackened Salmon with Tropical Fruit Salsa

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 medium ripe mango, peeled, chopped (1 med = about 3/4 cup)

• 1 small ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, chopped (1 small = 1/2 cup)

• 2 tablespoons minced red onion

• 2 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves

• 2 tablespoons paprika

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard

• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground thyme

• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground red pepper

• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

• 4 salmon fillets, remove skin, pat dry (4 fillets = 1 lb)

 

Directions

 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Make Salsa: combine mango, papaya, onion, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro and mint in medium bowl. Gently toss to mix; set aside.

2. Make Spice Blend: stir together paprika, salt, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, thyme and red pepper in small bowl. Spread 2 tablespoons of the Spice Blend on large plate. Store remaining Spice Blend in an airtight container for future use.

3. Cook Salmon: place prepared fillets, flesh-side down, on plate with Spice Blend. Press fillets into mixture. Shake off excess mixture; set aside. Discard any remaining seasoning on plate.

4. Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Turn on stove/kitchen vent. Heat skillet on high until hot. Add fillets, seasoned side down. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until seasoning has darkened and formed a crust. Turn fillets over and cook second side 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Place fillets in shallow baking pan. Bake uncovered 3 to 5 minutes or until salmon is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

5. Serve each fillet with salsa with salmon. Cover and refrigerate remaining salsa.

 

This recipe brought to you by Pam Cooking Spray.  For other recipes as well as lots of helpful baking tips, visit www.pamcookingspray.com.