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Louisianna Creole blackened salmon paired with a creamy and crunchy Caesar salad.
Don’t mess with the classics? But innovation needs inspiration, even the original Caesar salad which was created in the prohibition era in Mexico and generally attributed to Caesar’s restaurant in Tijuana, saw large lettuce leaves tossed in lime juice, oil and Worcestershire sauce served with croutons, coddled eggs and parmesan which were to be eaten by hand. The rendition we see today, however, is very different, it has evolved. There are no coddled eggs, It’s much creamier, it has more umami with the addition of pulverised anchovies in the dressing rather than just the Worcestershire sauce in the original, more zing with lemon juice or vinegar, and we often see it paired with grilled chicken or bacon. Back in the prohibition era when it was created, produce was scarce and therefore the original recipe was not designed with an overladen amount of ingredients, it seems only natural that this recipe would have been developed. So we’ve created it too and added even more fish to the recipe.

Reinventing the Caesar salad
Understandably, its creator, Caesar Cardini, who himself was an Italian Immigrant, may be rolling in his grave if he knew that we would be pairing fish with cheese! However, the Italian view is based on the thought that fish is a very delicate ingredient and must be treated with a simple preparation. However, this Caesar salad recipe uses blackened salmon which is far from delicate, so, why not?
Blackened salmon is a Creole creation originating from Louisiana where a blend of cooking styles from its original settlers of West African, Spanish, French, German and native Americans (as well as southern state influences) was used to create its own cuisine.
Classic European staple recipes and techniques had to evolve as traditional ingredients either didn’t grow well or weren’t available so new ingredients prevalent in the Louisiana area were used. Bell peppers and cayenne peppers, sweet potato, chayotes, okra and corn amongst a myriad of other produce had infiltrated into traditional recipes resulting in the creation of a unique, sweet, savoury and spicy cuisine. Well-known Creole dishes include Jumbalaya, Gumbo and Oysters Rockefeller (another dish in which you’ll find pairs of seafood and cheese, so we’ll remain unapologetic with this Salmon recipe that uses parmesan).

Blackened salmon magic
The blackened aspect of the salmon actually refers to the charring of the spice rub, which traditionally consists of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion and green herbs that give the appearance of a burnt black crusted salmon when pan-fried rather than the actual burning of the fish itself. Searing the fish for only a couple of minutes each side gives a perfectly charred exterior but keeps the meat wonderfully pink and succulent on the inside so that the taste and texture are just exceptional. Other fish you can use that work equally as well need to be succulent and meaty, so look out for cod loins, halibut, swordfish or tuna.
A highly flavoured, piquant fillet of salmon is a great accompaniment for a Caesar salad, but to give the dish a well-rounded Southern states influence, we’ve infused the creamy and salty salad dressing with the unmistakable flavours of another famous creole creation with a rich herby butter gratinée used in Oysters Rockefeller, a dish itself that has seen a lot of development and resourcefulness with its ingredients. The aniseed flavours have been injected into the spice rub of the salmon too. After all, we’re not just looking to add a blackened salmon fillet to a classic Caesar salad, we’re giving something that adds an edge over a traditional Caesar salad whilst at the same time creating a subtle change in the flavour profile to the Caesar dressing which in turns add another complimentary dimension back to the salmon. We’ve taken the flavour DNA of sorts of this tertiary creole dish, Oysters Rockefeller and subtly injected these ingredients in both the Caesar salad and the salmon, so when combined, the two marry up perfectly. A fitting fusion of flavours, just like that of Creole cuisine, and one that has possibly inadvertently created a new dish entirely.

A Caesar salad shares much of the oomph that Oysters Rockefeller has, such as the powerful flavour of anchovies, garlic and lemon, the crunch of stale bread for that texture juxtaposition and parmesan which makes a regular appearance in modern-day Oysters Rockefeller for gratinating. Of course, the original Rockefeller recipe was a deeply guarded secret, so modern incarnations of this dish use educated guesses and poetic licence when re-created. Other than the obvious differences, we are only missing the accents of fennel, parsley and butter that give the Oysters Rockefeller its distinct flavour. Adding this aspect to the base of a traditional Caesar salad dressing not only enhances its flavour, it helps it gel ever so well with its new partner of blackened salmon.
The perfect dressing for blackened salmon Caesar salad

To make a caesar dressing is also very easy. You could buy a good quality mayonnaise and simply add anchovy, garlic and parmesan but making the mayonnaise from scratch is so much better. It just takes a large egg yolk or a couple of small egg yolks with a teaspoon of dijon mustard and whisked well so that when a neutral flavoured oil is added (about 60ml) it emulsifies to become thick and creamy. It just then needs some seasoning and a touch of lemon juice. To make this Rockefeller-inspired Caesar dressing, we saute a small chopped garlic clove and shallot with chopped fresh parsley, fennel seeds and the Caesar dressing contingent of anchovy in a couple of tablespoons of melted salted butter until soft before adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. The mix is then left to cool down before incorporating it with the mayonnaise with some fresh grated parmesan before blitzing to a smooth powerhouse of a dressing in a blender.
How to make blackened salmon Caesar salad
Preparing the whole dish is also very simple. The dressing can be made in advance as it can be stored in the fridge for about three days and the spice rub can just sit in the pantry because it is made with dried herbs and spices. It’s also advisable to make a larger batch of this as you’ll most likely want to make this again and again. For the croutons, again, you could simply buy them, but best to make them yourself. Sliced sourdough cut into cubes, seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in oil and butter until crispy can also be done in advance.

For the salmon, it is best to bring it to room temperature first then pat it dry with a kitchen towel. A little drizzle of maple syrup brushed all over each fillet is a good way to help the rub fully stick to the fish. It also caramelizes to add flavour and help the salmon develop a distinctive blackened look. Liberally coat each fillet in the rub and bring a pan up to a relatively high heat. Put a sheet of non-stick baking paper in the pan to stop the fish from sticking add a little olive oil and fry the fish for two minutes on each side.
The blackened aspect of this blackened salmon Caesar salad is quite inspiring too. The salmon is served warm, so to add to this, it is nice to cut romaine lettuce in half and char the cut side on the hot pan to give the lettuce a blackened look too.
Make the blackened salmon Caesar salad stand out
When serving, plate up the charred lettuce leaves and brush liberally with the Caesar salad dressing. Place a fillet of blackened salmon on top and gently pull it apart to expose the pink meat inside, then simply scatter over the croutons and shave over fresh shards of parmesan. The caesar is then done. No more bland coloured salad here but a vibrant lava-shaded fillet of salmon served with vivid green charred lettuce, glazed earthy brown croutons and a glistening punchy dressing with a haze of fresh parmesan. All hail the mighty Caesar!
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Blackened salmon Caesar salad recipe
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 romaine lettuce base removed and sliced in half
- 1 slice of sourdough chopped into cubes
- fresh parmesan for grating
For the salmon rub
- 1 tbs of smoked paprika
- ½ a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ a teaspoon of dried parsley
- ½ a teaspoon of dried thyme
- ½ a teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoon of maple syrup optional
Caesar salad dressing
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 60 ml ¼ cup of sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon of butter
- 2 anchovy fillets in oil
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- ½ a teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 9 g of fresh parsley chopped
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 2 tablespoon of fresh grated parmesan
- dash of worcestershire sauce
- dash of Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- Place the butter in a pan on a medium heat and when melted, add the chopped shallot, chopped garlic, fennel seeds, anchovy fillets and parsley. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the shallots are soft. Add the tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and take off the heat to set aside and cool.
- Place the egg yolk in a mixing bowl making sure there is no remnant of the white left on it, add the dijon mustard and whisk until the yolk has aerated and become lighter in colour. Add the sunflower oil little by little or in a steady stream, constantly whisking until it has emulsified with the yolk to a thick mayonnaise. Add the lemon juice and season with some salt and white pepper and whisk to incorporate.
- Empty the mayonnaise into a blender, add the melted herb butter and freshly grated parmesan and process until smooth. Decant and set aside.
Croutons
- Add a little olive oil and butter to a medium hot pan and throw the cubed sour dough in. Fry for a few minutes or until golden a crispy. Set aside.
Blackened salmon
- Mix all the rub spices together in a bowl big enough to place the salmon fillets in. You may need to crush the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar first.
- Brush each salmon fillet with a teaspoon of maple syrup and coat each fillet on all sides with the rub.
- Bring a frying pan up to a fairly high heat and add a little olive oil. Place a sheet of baking paper in the pan first if you aren’t using a non-stick pan. Place both salmon fillets in the pan skin side down and sear for two minutes. Turn each fillet over and sear for a further two minutes on the other side. Remove the fillets and set aside to rest.
- Using the same pan, place each half of the romaine lettuce sliced side down and applying a little pressure for 1 -2 minutes, sear until charred.
Make the salad
- To present the salad, place the sliced romaine lettuce charred side up on a plate or bowl and brush liberally with the caesar salad dressing. Arrange a fillet on top and gently pull the meat apart to expose the pink inside. Scatter over the croutons over the top and shave or grate fresh parmesan over the top. Serve with extra dressing on the side.
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