Phil's International Flair

Philip R. Gantt

Welcome to Seasoned Cooking and to Phil's International Flair!

My daughter Julia came up with this recipe, and I must say I was favorably impressed when she prepared it for the family. The fish she used was Alaskan salmon caught by yours truly, but I think cooking any salmon this way would be good.

Being a fan of the Food Network, I was inspired to purchase some of Emeril's Essence at a local gourmet market. My daughter found this product in my extensive collection of herbs and spices, and one evening decided to use it to prepare some salmon. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical about what she was doing when I observed her cooking, but when I tasted the results I was compelled to add this recipe to my favorites list.

Contrary to what one might think, Emeril's Essence is not hot and has an excellent flavor. Emeril graciously offers his recipe for this Creole blend of spices, so if your local market doesn't carry the product, you can make your own. I've included the recipe below.

Now, on to the recipe! Be well, and good eating!

Salmon Kicked up a Notch!

Salmon is one of my favorite foods and I have several favorite recipes that I use to prepare this fish. Although I often bake or grill salmon, one of my favorite methods for preparation is frying. However, I generally fry fish in oil. This recipe uses butter instead. And, instead of a batter or breading, we will coat the fish with Essence!

Because we will use butter for frying in this recipe, we will want to use a low cooking temperature to prevent the butter from burning. Also, we don't want the salmon fillets to be thick, as thick fillets will require a longer cooking time, risking the possibility that the butter may burn. If you see that the butter begins to burn when cooking this dish, add a little olive oil to the skillet.

  • 2 lb. salmon fillets, less than 1" thick
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 6 Tbsp. Emeril's Essence (see below to make your own)

Rinse the fillets in cold water and pat dry. Coat both sides of each fillet generously with Essence. Melt the butter in a large skillet and place the coated fillets into the melted butter. Fry for about 5 to 6 minutes per side and serve immediately with your favorite accompaniments.

Serving suggestion: Place the cooked salmon fillets on top of a small bed of cooked pasta and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and chives for color and a little more flavor. You can even kick it up a notch with a sprinkling of more Essence.

  • Yields: 4 servings
  • Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Emeril's Essence

Combine the following ingredients and store in a clean spice jar:

  • 2-1/2 Tbsp. paprika
  • 2 Tbsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. dried leaf oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. dried thyme
Makes about 2/3 cup.