30 Minute Cajun Salmon with Salted Lime Butter.

I’ve got a super simple, healthy and ridiculously flavorful dinner for you!

Riiiight here. Cue all the exclamation points.

I often wonder if literary scholars, English teachers and excellent writers in general still believe in the you-only-have-one-exclamation-point,-use-it-well rule now that it’s 2016 and the internet rules the world. Self expression in the form of exclamation points is very important, FYI. Also, self experssion in the form of exclamation points is a huge crutch. And also the worst.

But the best. How else would you know that this salmon is i!n!c!r!e!d!i!b!l!e!?

Sorry.

I’d jump through my screen and make it in your kitchen if I could, it’s that easy. I’d deliver it to you with a few beers or a glass of wine or maybe just four cans of your favorite la croix flavor. (< pssst. mine’s passionfruit, what’s yours?)

One of our absolute favorite comfort meals is this cajun chicken pot – we could probably eat it every week and be happy. Eddie could, for sure. It’s one dish that he requests frequently, and that’s huge because usually when I ask him “any ideas for dinner this week?” he responds with “I don’t know. I just ate. I can’t think of ideas when I’m full.”

And for the record, he ALWAYS “just ate.” Always.

It’s very inconvenient when my brain is lazy.

As a huge salmon lover, I’m always trying to find new favorite ways to flavor it. Eddie is not much of a salmon lover these days – I think he used to be, perhaps I served him one too many dried-out filets? Guilty.

It’s that, combined with loving burgers and pizza too much. He isn’t into it. So I was determined to make some spicy, flavorful salmon that he’d love and that chicken pot was my inspiration.

Problem though: I was completely out of cajun seasoning. I threw together a makeshift one of my own that was delish and might keep me from buying the bottled stuff from now on. I also made a boatload of it and Eddie has been sprinkling it on every bite of food he has put into his mouth since last week.

Probably even cookies. Maybe.

This buttery fish is topped with so much delicious spice that your taste buds will straight up lose.it.

And then! It’s topped with even more flavor as you scoop on a touch of salty lime butter while it’s still hot. It melts all over and runs down the sides and is worthy of so much more than one exclamation point, I swear.

Big bonus: it’s probably going to take you way less than 30 minutes – the most time consuming step will be measuring out your spices. Serve it with some rice and/or asparagus or something springlike and lovely. Thumbs up!

30 Minute Cajun Salmon with Salted Lime Butter

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) salmon filet
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of cayenne pepper

salted lime butter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 lime, zest freshly grated
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt



Directions:

Preheat the broiler in your oven to high and set the oven rack about 6 inches below it.

Place the salmon on a baking sheet and brush it with the grapeseed oil. In a bowl, stir together the paprika, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, pepper flakes and cayenne. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the salmon filet and press gently to adhere.

Broil the salmon for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just opaque and flakey with a fork. Remove from the oven and cover with a few teaspoons of the lime butter. Serve with rice and lime wedges for spritzing.

salted lime butter

Stir together the butter, lime zest and salt until combined.

I’m thinking margarita.