There was a time not that long ago when Cajun salmon felt almost standard fare on a pub menu. And it’s easy to see why: that delicious marriage of spice and sweet, oily fish earned its popularity.
Cajun cooking is the original mash-up, French, Native American, African and Spanish influences colliding in 18th-century Louisiana to create a cuisine built on bold spice, deep aromatics and clever adaptation. It’s food born from resourcefulness and big flavour, and it’s never really gone out of style. Paired here with succotash – which at its core simply needs corn and beans – this dish is vibrant, quick to cook to order and incredibly versatile once the prep is done. A modern nod to the Cajun salmon classic, lifted with fresh veg, clean heat and a spice mix that sings.
Ingredients
- Skinless salmon fillets
- Olive oil
Cajun spice mix
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoons cayenne
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground bay leaves
Corn rib succotash
- 100g pancetta, diced
- 20ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 12 corn ribs
- 2 cups cooked edamame beans
- 1 capsicum, diced
- 350g cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Handful parsley, finely chopped
- Lemon juice and zest
Method
Prepare the spice mix by toasting any whole spices (except nutmeg, which must be grated) in a dry pan until fragrant. Cool slightly, grind to a fine powder, then combine with the remaining ground spices.
If using all ground spices, simply whisk together until evenly mixed. For best flavour, store in an airtight container and use within a couple of days.
Add the olive oil then sauté the pancetta until rendered and golden. Add red onion, corn ribs, edamame beans, capsicum and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle over the sage, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white pepper and salt, then sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are just cooked. Finish with butter or extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice and zest.
Rub the salmon generously with the Cajun spice mix, then fry in a little olive oil. Season and rest for a minute or two before plating. Serve on top of steamed medium-grain rice mixed with cooked turtle beans and roasted broccolini florets.
Kitchen notes
This dish makes for an excellent poke-bowl-style lunch. Using a smaller 180g portion of salmon, extra rice, fresh herbs and lemon delivers outstanding value for money while still ticking all the flavour boxes.
