Spicy Blackened Salmon Salad with Sesame Seeds

I love Salmon,  and I especially love it on a salad.  Something about Salmon, cheese, and vinegar that just excites me.   I know I know,  cheese and fish?  It's weird, but on a salad its MAGICAL.  Unless you melt your cheese, then it's like weird lettuce nachos.  That,  I will admit,  has happened to me before.  I ate it anyway.   I love the cold salad with the warm seared fish.  I am rambling now.......

Spicy Salmon Salad with Sesame Seeds

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Serves: 1

You could easily double trouble this recipe,  if you aren't a single cat lady like me (with no cats)

Ingredients:

      Spice Mixture:  1 tsp each of the following:

 

Cumin 

Chili Powder 

Paprika 

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder 

Cayenne Pepper

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups Romaine Lettuce, washed, dried and cut into chunks
1/4 cup Shredded Swiss Cheese and Montary Jack Cheese (I opened two bags and did a half handful of each to make 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup red onion
3 tbsp green onion, diced
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp diced garlic, or one small garlic clove diced
2 pinches salt, 2 pinches pepper
Spray olive oil or coconut oil

Directions:

1. Spray olive oil or coconut oil in a cast iron skillet and heat over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes.
2. While your pan is heating dry your fish by blotting or patting it with paper towels.  Sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3.  Mix the spices together on a plate, like shown above.
4.  Place the fish into the spice mixture rolling it around and patting the spices evenly into both sides. ( Note: You do not need all of the mixture,  so it would be best beforehand to put some aside in a little baggy to be used for some other delicious fish or chicken)
5.  Set your fish aside until cast iron skillet is to temperature (to check,  drop a water droplet in the pan.  It should scatter and sizzle--this is perfect to get a good crunchy crust on your fish). If the water scatters,  place the fish into the pan. Do not move the fish (or it won't be crusty).  Let it cook on each side for 3 minutes (4-6 if you have a thick piece of fish).

6.  Dice lettuce, onions, and green onions.  Plate for serving.
7. Sprinkle cheese on top of lettuce mixture. (You want the warm fish to rest on the cheese)
10.  With a whisk in a shallow bowl mix olive oil,  red wine vinegar,  garlic, and salt and pepper pinches together.
9.  Once the fish is cooked through place on top of lettuce.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
11.  Drizzle with dressing and serve :)