This Alaska salmon is irresistible! It’s spiced with a fragrant blend of turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon, and quickly cooked on the stovetop. Serve it with a simple salad and creamy tahini yogurt dressing.
This post is brought to you in partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
This vibrant blend of turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon — complex seasonings common to Moroccan cuisine — is a standout companion to distinctive Alaska salmon’s incredible flavor.
Once you mix and measure the spices, you are minutes away from getting dinner on the table.
SPICES MAKE A FLAVORFUL CRUST
This dish is simplicity itself. Just pat the spice mixture onto the skinless side of the fillets and sear them facedown for a few moments in hot peanut oil or ghee, both of which have high smoke points (ghee is a form clarified butter). The quick sear – just 15 to 20 seconds — forms a crust with the spice spices.
To avoid quickly going from toasted to burnt, watch carefully and flip the fillets once the spices smell fragrant and you see some charring on the fish. (A little char is fine and adds flavor!)
QUICK-COOKING SKILLET SALMON
Once you’ve flipped the salmon, finish cooking it with the skin side down.
The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillets, but it usually takes only 3 to 4 minutes for the thickest part of the fish to finish cooking all the way through. When done, the fish will be opaque all the way through.
FINISH WITH A TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE
Once the salmon comes off the stove, transfer it straight to a serving platter and drizzle some of the tahini-yogurt sauce over the top. Serve with the tomato-cucumber salad alongside. Enjoy!
RECOMMENDED WINE PAIRING
Serve this Moroccan-Spiced Alaska Salmon with Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
MORE ALASKA SEAFOOD RECIPES
Moroccan-Spiced Wild Alaska Salmon Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
This recipe fits within the American Institute for Cancer Research‘s recommendations for a cancer preventative diet.
Ingredients
For the tahini-yogurt sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
For the tomato-cucumber salad:
- 6 ounces (about 16) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 Persian cucumber, diced small
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- A pinch of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves
For the salmon:
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 4 (6-ounces each) wild Alaska salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, ghee, or other high-heat cooking oil
Method
1 Make the yogurt tahini sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, tahini lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper, if you like. Set aside until ready to serve.
2 Make the salad garnish: In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, cucumbers, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil together. Stir in the mint and cilantro leaves. Set aside until ready to serve.
3 Season the salmon fillets: In a small bowl, stir together the turmeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, Cayenne pepper, and salt. With a small whisk, work the ginger into the spices until blended.
Spread the spice mix over the skinless side of the fillets and pat it so it sticks to the fillets.
4 Cook the salmon: In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the salmon pieces with the skinless (spice) sides down. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, without moving, just long enough for the spices to form a crust. The spices should smell fragrant and you should see some light charring on the fish.
Turn the fish over and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and opaque. The exact time will vary according to the thickness of the fillets. Transfer the salmon to a platter.
5 Serve the salmon: Surround the salmon on the platter with the salad garnish and either drizzle the tahini yogurt sauce over top or serve it on the side.
