Blackened Atlantic Salmon with Mango Salsa

Ingredients
•2-6 oz. Maine Salmon Fillets, skinned
•1 cup white rice, rinsed
•1/4 bunch cilantro, stems picked and chopped, leaves picked
•1 lime, zested
•1/4 cup red onion, fine julienne
•1 mango, ripe
•1 avocado, diced
•1 ear corn, kernels cut off
•1 red bell pepper, diced
•1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
•2 Tbsp blackening spice
•Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
1) Cook rice on stove/rice cooker, add lime zest and cilantro stems. Season to taste.
2) Sauté red pepper and corn until corn browns and begins to pop, deglaze with vinegar, set aside to cool.
3) Mix cooled pepper mixture with avocado, mango, red onion, and 1/2 of the cilantro leaves (reserving some for garnish). Season to taste. Set aside and keep cool.
4) Apply blackening spice to salmon (opposite skin side).
5) On high heat, sauté salmon blackened side down until caramelized and crispy, lower heat to medium and flip salmon to finish cooking to desired temperature.
6) Arrange rice on plate with the salmon over it, drizzle mango salsa, garnish with cilantro leaves.

Tips for sautéing salmon
•High heat oil should be coating bottom of pan (canola or grape seed preferred)
•Pan and oil should be barely smoking before adding fish to prevent sticking
•Drop fish away from body to prevent oil burns
•If pan is too hot, the blackening spice will burn and smell bitter. If burning begins, lower heat immediately, flip fish, and finishing cooking.

Yield: 2 servings

Recipe courtesy of @mainekitchen

Where to Buy
You can purchase local Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon at your local Hannaford Supermarket, as well as Harbor Fish (Portland).