Blackened Salmon
Instructions:
- 6 Salmon Fillets, 1/2 − 3/4 inch thick, skinned
- 2 1/2 cups unsalted butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme (do not use fresh − it will burn)
- Lemon wedges and Parsley for garnish
- Trim off the thin edges of fillets as these would burn. Pat dry and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- The butter sauce adheres better to cold fillets.
- In heavy 3−quart cast−iron frying pan over medium heat, melt butter, add lemon juice, cayenne, salt, black pepper and thyme.
- Stir to blend; cool to lukewarm.
- Place an empty 10−inch cast−iron skillet over high heat until bottom has a definite white haze and begins to smoke slightly.
- Remove fish from refrigerator; dip 1 fillet in warm butter sauce, coating well.
- Place fish in hot skillet, taking care that spits and spatters do not burn you.
- Fish will sear and cook almost immediately.
- Turn fillet over; blacken other side. Repeat with remaining fillets.
- Reserve remaining butter sauce. As fillets are cooked, place them on individual plates; keep warm.
- Discard accumulated butter sauce in skillet and charred bits between batches.
- When all fillets have been cooked, wipe skillet clean and place empty skillet back on heat.
- Add reserved butter sauce; carefully swirl skillet 5 or 6 times to blacken butter.
- Remove pan from heat; drizzle butter over each fillet.
- Garnish and serve hot.