Chef notes
This is a dish that evokes a bit of my culture as well as incorporates health-conscious techniques. When a product is good, you don't have to do much but let the ingredients shine without jeopardizing flavor.
Swap option: Feel free to use any neutral oil in place of grapeseed.
Ingredients
- 2 (5-ounce) fillets salmon, skinless
- kosher salt
- Creole seasoning
- grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup sliced shallots
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon grains of paradise or alligator pepper
- 2 seasoning cubes, such as Maggi
- 2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
- 3½ tablespoons peanut butter powder
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 4 tablespoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons suya (recipe above)
- 6 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as desired
- 1½ tablespoons grapeseed oil or any neutral oil
- 1/2 lemon, plus more as desired
- 1 purple carrot, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 sweet potato, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 celery root (celeriac), cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into eighths
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1-2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
- finely chopped chives
- lemon wedges
Preparation
For the salmon:
1.Season salmon generously with salt and Creole seasoning and let sit for 20 minutes.
2.Heat a large skillet or frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil to medium-high. Once shimmering, gently add the seasoned salmon to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and continue cooking for about 3 minutes on the other side. The salmon should become firm and just start to flake when gently squeezed; cook longer as desired. Once cooked, set aside on a plate to rest.
3.Return the pan to heat and add more oil if necessary. Add ginger, garlic and shallots to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white balsamic, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan, and simmer for about 1 minute. Stir in honey and season with a pinch of salt. Remove from heat set and aside.
For the suya:
1.Blitz the grains of paradise in a high-powered blender or spice grinder until finely powdered, then set aside in a medium bowl.
2.Blitz seasoning cubes until finely ground, then add to the bowl with the grains of paradise.
3.Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and whisk well to combine.
For the suya tahini:
Process all ingredients in a small food processor for 20 seconds. Scrape sides and process again until smooth. Alternatively, this can be done by hand with a whisk.
Check and adjust seasoning as needed with suya, lemon and salt. Adjust consistency with oil and water.
For the Creole-roasted root vegetables:
1.Preheat oven to 425 F.
2.Combine carrots, sweet potato, celery root, onion, garlic, thyme, Creole seasoning, salt and oil in a large bowl. Mix well to evenly coat and season vegetables.
3.Spread over a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the baking sheet, then place in the oven to roast.
4.After 20 minutes, toss vegetables to ensure even roasting, then return to oven for another 20 minutes until browned and tender.
5.Once ready, remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust as needed before garnishing with chopped parsley.
To serve:
Add roasted vegetables in a single layer to a shallow bowl or plate. Top with seared salmon, dress with pan glaze, and a dollop of suya tahini. Garnish with chives and serve with lemon wedges.
