Baked Cajun Rubbed Salmon

J loves seafood. I am picky about it. But I've resolved to be better about making fish not only since its so good for you, but also because my dear J loves it so and I wish I could be not so finicky about it.

Last week when I went to the grocery store their fresh, never frozen salmon steaks looked so perfectly pink (and I love pink!). I bought three and brought them home to make them yummy and yummy they were!

Ingredients: 

• 1 salmon steak, fresh not frozen, per person or serving. (J eats two so I got three) 
• Drizzle of worcestershire sauce
• 1 large lemon

For the rub:

• 1/4 cup ancho chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano 
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons dried mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. While the oven is heating, combine all of the spices in a bowl and whisk together. 
3. Rip pieces of foil that are twice the size of the filets. (One per filet) 
4. Place the salmon in the center of the foil (as seen in picture below).
5. Drizzle worcestershire sauce over the top of each filet. 
6. Rub top of salmon with spice blend. (There will be extra, it's GREAT on steak too!) 
7. Cut lemon in half and squeeze over the salmon. 
8. Close up the foil around the spiced filets and place on a baking sheet. 
9. Cook for 20 minutes. 
10. Remove from the oven. 
11. Unwrap and slice the lemon in half (or more parts for more filets!) and squeeze the juice over the fish.
12. Enjoy! 

J was going to make a sauce to put on it and I said to just try it before he made anything... He did, it was so moist and tender the sauce idea was scrapped and he ate as is! I even really liked it and I'm not a huge lover of fish! 

Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks with Mango Cucumber Salsa

Jason loves seafood. I don't. But I'm learning slowly to enjoy it. Sushi and lightly cooked fish is tasty, it's the cooked stuff I don't like (I know, bizarre right?) But, when Ahi Tuna steaks were on sale at the grocery store the other morning I knew that it was fate, Jason was going to get some yummy fish for dinner! The mango cucumber salsa really makes this dish delicious to me, plus it's so healthy! 

Ingredients:

• 2 Ahi Tuna Steaks (or more if you're serving more!) 
• 2 mangos (already ripe, if not get the mango salsa in the produce section and it'll work perfect) 
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup white rice 
• Jalapeno (I use the jarred kind so it's not so brutal on my skin and face) 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 red onion (you're only going to use about half) 
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive oil

Directions:

1. Diced the mangos, 1/2 of the onion, cucumber, jalapeno, and the garlic and place into a bowl. 
2. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the diced fruits and veggies and stir. 
3. Add salt and pepper to taste while stirring. 
4. Put this in the fridge with saran wrap covering it to allow it to ferment. (Yep, just let it get that flavor all perfected on its own) 
5. Boil the one cup rice in a saucepan in two cups water. 
6. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and allow it to simmer until the water is gone. 
7. While the rice is cooking, enjoy a moment of down time. 
8. Four minutes before the rice is done, add the olive oil to a large frying pan making sure the whole bottom is covered. 
9. Allow a moment for the oil to get hot hot HOT! 
10. Coat both sides of the Ahi with salt and pepper before setting it into the hot oily pan. 
11. Allow it to cook for a minute and a half on one side, then flip and let cook for another minute and a half. 
12. Serve it up on two plates with rice and lots of mango-cucumber salsa to boot! 
13. Enjoy! 

Searing the fish can be a little tricky, and as Jason and I have learned, is in fact an art. So if it doesn't go right the first time, that's ok, try again! This time Jason said it was undercooked. I liked it and thought it was quite tasty.