Blackened salmon with salsa (adapted from a BBC FOOD recipe)

I try to have fish for dinner at least once a week. But there are only so many ways I know how to cook fish. I came across the BBC FOOD recipe while looking for new ideas online, as you do. It was marked as a low calorie meal, which was good seeing as I recently returned from a holiday with a few more pounds than I had when I left. This version is slightly different from the original recipe. For one thing, smaller fillets are pan-fried in the original recipe. I had a larger piece of salmon to work with and decided that pan frying would not be a good idea.

This recipe has also evolved over time, adjustments made depending on what I had in the fridge and panty. 

Without hurrying, the time taken for the salmon to bake match perfectly the time taken to prepare the ingredients for the salsa and prepare the couscous. Total time spent in the kitchen: approx. 40 mins.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
1 fillet of salmon (800g)
1 lime (I have tried this with lemon, which also works but lime is better) 

Salsa
400 g tin black eyed beans (I used white beans when I could not find black eyed beans. Ideally, I would choose a combination of the two)
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 avocado - peeled, stoned and chopped (I used 1, but would use 2 the next time I make this)
5 cherry tomatoes - cubed
200g cubed mangoes / 1 can of corn (this brings a sweetness which complements the other flavours well)
1 yellow pepper - seeds removed and chopped
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
salt & pepper

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180°C.
2. Mix together oregano and Cajun seasoning
3. Place salmon (skin side down, if skinned) on baking paper (or oiled foil) and rub seasoning evenly onto salmon. Gently squeeze lime over salmon (I tend not to fully squeeze the lime) and leave the wedges beside the salmon on the tray. 
4. Lightly cover salmon with foil and pierce holes in the foil and bake for approx 20 mins, until salmon slightly undercooked. Remove foil cover and bake for approx. ten minute until salmon is cooked but not flaky
5. In the meantime, mix salsa ingredients together, add lime juice and season to taste. Leave to sit.

Serve salmon with couscous (optional) topped with avocado and bean salsa.

Without couscous. 

(Adapted from BBC FOOD's blackened salmon with salsa)