Good for you Salmon, and a fly by night easy recipe.

Salmon. 

My mom hates it,  my mother in law loves it. Either way it smells like fish, or so my mom says. I have gotten it from some stores and it smells like fish, and stinks up my tiny apartment and leaves me feeling yucky after. However the last few times I have gotten it from Wegman's, its been perfect. It doesn't smell like fish, its doesn't have that strong fishy taste, and unlike some stores, it dont see the words "with color added" on the label. Its straight up real salmon. 

Its also one of the easiest cuts of fish that I have found to cook. Yes, I know your gonna say "OMG it still haz skinz! How will I cook it?" Easy! Let me show you how to prepare this delightful dish that was also one of those "lets use up some items in the pantry as well, even though we don't know how it will turn out.---OMG NOMZ!!"

You will need the following items for the fish:

2 hearty looking salmon fillets 

Dehydrated onions

Garlic powder

Cajun Seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

fish seasoning

First thing - 

Get your skillet hot, and melt some butter in it.

Season your fish, sprinkle the onions, garlic powder, cajun seasoning on the fish and then add your salt and pepper. 

 Lay your fish skin side down in the hot skillet. This will crisp up the skin and when you flip it, allow you to easily peel the skin off. 

Salmon, skin side down with seasoning

Once you start to see the bottom of the fish turn from the opaque color to the pink color, about a good 1/4 inch up the side, flip the fish with a pair of tongs or fish spatula and peel off the skin. It should look like the picture below. 

Flipped salmon with no skin

Remember to season both sides of your fish - so repeat the seasoning process. Leave it to get a good sear on the fish and start your rice. 

You will need:

1 cup of rice 

1 and 1/2 cups water

1-2 tbs butter

This rice requires 1 and 1/2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. 

If you use this particular rice, you can choose to follow the directions or be like me and think its just like instant. It really isn't. You cant just boil the water, add the rice, stir and turn off the heat and cover it. This rice wants you to love it. Pay attention to it - but not too much.  It doesn't want to be smothered by you. 

Dump all the ingredients in one pot at the same time and bring it to a boil - stirring occasionally - then reduce the heat cover it and ignore it.  

The wild rice party is going on!

But wait! The fish! Flip them and the should look like the picture below. Tilt the pan and baste your salmon with the butter and seasonings. Trust me it really helps! It won't dry out when you add moisture from the top!

Looking good! Almost there!

Flip the fish again and make sure both sides look as yummy, remove from the skillet, place on a paper towel covered plate, and cover with tinfoil to keep it warm. Rinse your skillet and return to the heat and get it warm again. Keep the pan warm, but not too hot just enough to melt about 3 tbs of butter and bring it to a simmer.

For the topping you will need:

Craisins

Blueberries

Balsamic Vinegar (Just a TINY bit)

Garlic powder

Sugar (usually I use splenda but I tired and and looked ugly so only use a SMALL amount or none at all)

Ignore the knife, you dont need it for this step

FRESH blueberries make a HUGE difference here

So after the butter has melted, throw a hand-full of craisins in the butter, stir them around and let them soak up that yummy fat, add a big hand full of blueberries and let them reduce down.  Splash in some balsamic vinegar, about a teaspoon full and a sprinkle of garlic powder. If you choose to add the sugar, I only used about 2 teaspoons worth. 

Let this go for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and it should look like this when its done. 

This actually was better then I expected it to be!

 The rice should be done by now, fluff it with a fork stir in a little butter, salt and a splash of lemon juice and put it in the bottom of your bowl or plate. Gently lay the salmon filet on top and then drizzle over the berry reduction and enjoy!!

OMG NOMZ!!

Go Fish!

Heather