Tajin Salmon with Avocado Cream

Three Tajin seasoned salmon fillets on white plate topped with avocado cream.

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Buttery pan-seared salmon fillets with a Tajin and brown sugar glaze, served with avocado cream.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings: fillets

Calories: 604kcal

Author: Anecia Hero

Equipment

Non stick skillet
Food Processor
Meat thermometer

Ingredients

Tajin Seasoning Mix

2 pounds salmon fillets, skin on
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or canola oil, divided ,(use 1 tsp. per batch of fillets)
1 tablespoon Tajin Classico Seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

Avocado Cream

2 large ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (3-4 small limes or 2 medium)
¼ cup sour cream
4 tablespoons buttermilk (see recipe notes below)
¼ cup chopped red onion
1½ teaspoons fresh minced garlic (see recipe notes below)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon minced jalapeno (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel
2 pounds salmon fillets, skin on
In a small mixing bowl, combine Tajin seasoning ingredients; mix well
1 tablespoon Tajin Classico Seasoning, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
Generously top each fillet with 1-2 teaspoons of the Tajin mixture; use the back of a spoon to press the mixture into the fish, and let the fish rest with the topping on it for 10-minutes. (The brown sugar will begin to dissolve and that's okay.)
Make the avocado cream: in a food processor, pulse the ingredients until smooth; salt and pepper to taste; if you want the sauce thinner, add more buttermilk a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. NOTE: if you make the avocado cream in advance, be sure to cover it with plastic wrap directly on the sauce to prevent it from turning brown.
2 large ripe avocados, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (3-4 small limes or 2 medium), ¼ cup sour cream, 4 tablespoons buttermilk, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1½ teaspoons fresh minced garlic , 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ½ teaspoon minced jalapeno (optional), salt and pepper to taste
Heat a non-stick skillet on medium to medium-high heat and right when it gets almost to the smoking point, add one teaspoon of oil; place the salmon fillets in the skillet skin-side-up. Cook 3-4 minutes then flip; cook another 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140℉.
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or canola oil, divided
Remove fish from skillet; if you're making another batch of fillets, add another teaspoon of oil to the skillet and repeat; once all the fillets are done, plate and garnish with a dollop of the avocado cream, chopped cilantro and/or a slice of lime.

Notes

Use a non-stick skillet for this recipe. Why? The brown sugar caramelizes and forms a sticky glaze in the pan. A non-stick skillet is easier to clean than stainless steel or enamel.

Note: 1 tablespoon of Tajin seasoning has 760 mg. of sodium. I couldn't figure out how to get this added to the nutritional value, so keep that in mind if you're watching your sodium intake.

Buttermilk - if you want a thinner sauce, add more buttermilk in 1 teaspoon increments until the avocado sauces reaches your desired consistency

Garlic - if you use jarred minced garlic, start with half of a teaspoon. Why? Jarred minced garlic is stronger than fresh.

Nutrition