Cajun Salmon w/ Spicy Eggplant Salsa & Minted Cucumber Relish

This is probably the fanciest recipe I have ever made. A friend of mine typed this recipe up and sent it to me during her vacation, I had been looking forward to cooking it with her. I was like a little kid with a new toy while I was cooking and plating the food. It is always fun to make fancy dishes that you can plate nicely. This recipe has a LOT of flavors in it, but my friend and I decided that the cucumber relish really isn’t very necessary and it would probably have been better without it. The eggplant salsa was very unique, but really good!

Cajun Salmon with Spicy Eggplant Salsa, Minted Cucumber Relish, and Cilantro Vinaigrette

Serves 4

The Salmon

• 4 x 50 oz fillets
  
• Cajun seasoning mixed with a little flour
  
• 40 oz clarified butter
  

Minted Cucumber Relish

• 1cucumber seeded and diced
  
• 1 cup natural yogurt
  
• 1 small red onion diced
  
• chopped fresh mint or 1 tbsp mint sauce
  
• 1 tps mayo optional
  

Cilantro Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 2 cups cilantro
  
• 1bsp lime juice
  
• 1tbsp garlic chopped
  
• 2tbsp red onions chopped
  
• 2 tbsp honey
  
• salt and pepper

Spicy Eggplant Salsa

• 1 large eggplant diced
  
• olive oil
  
• 4 small red onions diced
  
• 1 tsp cumin
  
• 1/2 tsp cardamom ground
  
• 4 tbsp diced pickles
  
• 1tbsp garam masala
  
• small bunch basil leaves chopped
  
• small bunch of coriander leaves chopped
  
• small bunch of chives chopped
  
• salt and pepper
  
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar

Directions:

For the cucumber relish:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the relish and put aside.

For the cilantro vinaigrette:

1. Blend all ingredients except for the oil.
2. Add the oil slowly until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place in a container and refrigerate.

For the spicy egglplant salsa:

1. Saute the eggplant and onion in the olive oil over medium heat until soft (about 5 minutes).
2. Add the vinegar, spices and pickles and mix well.
3. Place into a bowl and add the herbs.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until needed.

For the salmon:

1. Heat the clarified butter in a large nonstick pan.
2. Coat the salmon with the cajun seasoning and cook about 3 minutes each side (you want the salmon to be pink inside).
3. Place the eggplant salsa in the center of 4 bowls/plates and warm in the oven or microwave.
4. Place the salmon on the salsa and drizzle the food with the cilantro vinaigrette.
5. Place cucumber relish around the plate and garnish with cilantro.
   

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