All women love to be treated like a queen on Valentine’s Day. We love to receive a bouquet of beautiful flowers or a gourmet box of chocolates from our special someone, but we also enjoy a lovely dinner at a fancy restaurant. This year, break away from traditional Valentine’s Day celebrations and plan a date with a personal touch. Make a delicious, home cooked meal for the two of you to enjoy at your very own candle-lit dinner table. You’ll be dining on a five star dinner, but without the hassle of making reservations, waiting in long lines at crowded restaurants or spending a fortune.
Blackened salmon with dark red kidney bean pilaf is a great recipe to use when you really want to impress your dinner date. However, blackened salmon doesn’t mean burnt salmon. It is a cooking technique used to slightly char the seasoning, not the fish, which gives your fish a smoky and spicy flavoring. Turmeric is what gives the rice not only a beautiful yellow color, but also flavor – don’t skip it! Serve with Randall Dark Red Kidney Beans and you have a wonderful dish that is perfect for you and your Valentine.
Ingredients
- For the salmon:
- Two Alaskan salmon filets
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- For the pilaf:
- One 14-oz jar Randall Beans Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp coriander
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and seasonings and stir. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked through.
- Let the salmon filets come to sit at room temperature for ten minutes. Mix the seasonings together in a bowl, then place the salmon into the seasonings to coat the fish. Leave the skin unseasoned.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Liberally spray with canola or vegetable oil. Place the salmon on the hot skillet and sear both sides for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir the kidney beans and chopped cilantro in with the cooked rice. Spoon the pilaf onto the plate and set the salmon on top to serve.
Summertime is the perfect time to try this tasty recipe featuring Randall Beans Black Beans.
