Cajun Salmon with Red Rice

Cajun Salmon with Red Rice©KevinAshton 2024
Cajun Salmon with Red Rice©KevinAshton 2024

Food trends come and go, but if something tastes good time doesn’t change that. It has been a while since I have used Louisiana Cajun rub; it works particularly well with salmon or sea trout because the spice mix doesn’t overpower the flavour of the fish, and this was my choice when my online students requested I create a salmon recipe.

Red rice is grown in many countries, including Bhutan, Brazil, the Camague area of France, India and Malaysia. It varies slightly in colour but it always has a wonderful nutty flavour and is worth seeking out online, if you can’t find it in your shops.

It was important to  create a contrast between the firece spices of the Cajun rub so I made  Coriander and lime dip.

Cajun Salmon with Red Rice serves 2

2 x 140 grams  Fresh Salmon

80 grams of real Mayonnaise

60g Sour Cream

zest of 2 small limes

juice of 1 lime

small pinch white sugar

15 grams Coriander finely chopped

1 bunch small asparagus spears

Louisiana Cajun Rub/seasoning

125 grams Red rice

1 TBsp Olive oil

Method:

  1. Zest the limes then finely chop the zest so it is very small.
  2. Sprinkle the sugar onto the zest to bring out the oils, which intensifies the lime flavour and then stir the zest into the sour cream and reserve in the fridge.
  3. Stir the lime juice and coriander into the mayonnaise and reserve in the fridge.
  4. Coat the flesh side of each piece of salmon well with the Cajun rub.
  5. Now combine the sour cream mix with the mayo mix, stir well then season lightly with salt and pepper.
  6. Simmer the red rice for 20 minutes in lightly salted water then drain and keep warm.
  7. While the rice cooks trim the Asparagus spears and blanch in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, then cool down fast in cold water.  When fully cold drain well.
  8. Preheat oven to 180 C (356 F)
  9. Heat the 2/3 TBsp of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan on a medium high heat and cook the flesh side down for 3 minutes, Turn the salmon onto the skin side and move the frying pan to the oven finish cooking for a further 6 minutes until it measures 60-63C (140F), rest for 2 minutes then serve.

To Serve

Reheat the Asparagus for 1 minute, then drizzle with olive oil.  Spoon red rice onto each plate and fill a small ramakin with your coriander/lime dipping sauce.

Coriander and Lime Dipping sauce©Kevin Ashton2025

Chef’s Note

So this is one of the dishes I taught my students today, so simple and easy to recreate for your dinner.

I was very Impressed with the Louisiana Cajun rub I used today.

CapeHerb&Spice

26 thoughts on “Cajun Salmon with Red Rice”

    1. Talking of “Back in the Day” whilst in Wash DC, I cooked a few Blacken dishes on menus, but felt that cooking in that style was too prone to overcooking the food and drying it out if not executed perfectly, so I much prefer to use the spices in a more gentle way so I can taste the food underneath the rub.

      Thanks again for taking part in our food conversations, I do enjoy them.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin 🙂

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    1. Hi Mary,
      Cajun seasoning has a lovely complex flavour.
      You might try Ras el hanout which is a spice blend mixture used in Northern Africa as an alternative.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin 🙂

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  4. This looks so good and easy, Kevin, and we have salmon in our freezer (we always have fish there!) I actually lived in New Orleans with my parents when I was really young and have visited twice. Love Cajun food. I once had a meal created by an elderly black lady in her underground basement out in the boonies there – crawfish etouffe – one of my favorites. I’ve never seen red rice but will look for it on line.

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