Fresh Catch - Blackened Salmon with Pineapple and Thai Basil Salsa

Too much salmon from all the fishing lately? It’s a problem I wish I had. I have been hunting the elusive salmon of the Columbia River Gorge for longer than I would like to admit in this public forum. I seem to catch brown and rainbow trout by the barrel, but I have yet reel in the star ingredient of this recipe. The recipe would also be a great time to tell everyone the story of how you snagged this particular catch. Let’s face it, these guys don’t hop in the boat or onshore, so you’ve earned these bragging rights.

The Salmon

1 whole filet of salmon, fresh from the water if you’re lucky
Chili powder
Red chili flakes
Smoked paprika
Ground cumin
Cracked pepper
Salt, to taste

Set your broiler on in the oven. While you wait, cover your filet in all the seasonings. Use as much or as little as you like, but make sure it’s covered like you see above. If you love spice, just add more of the chili flake to kick it up. Place the fish onto the second rack down in your oven and cook it for 8-10m depending on the thickness of the filet. Mine was pretty thin, so it was a fast cook. Keep an eye on it. I used parchment paper which was a bit of an experiment. I didn’t want to take a chance of the fish skins sticking and it worked well for that. It did burn the paper that surrounded it, but that was an easy toss once I got the fish off for serving.

The Salsa

1/2 pineapple, diced
Box of Thai Basil leaves chopped (+/-15)
2 shallots diced
1 tsp smoked paprika
Drizzle of olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavors come together. Whatever is left after covering your salmon filet for serving can be eaten over the next few days a salsa for snacking.

Serves 4-6

If you have a love for other foragable seafoods, check out our How To Guides on our site such as PNW Crabbing Tips or PNW Clamming Tips.