Blackened Salmon and Shrimp over Creamy Spinach Rice

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets (cut into chunks)
• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter (melted; for seafood)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 0.5 tsp oregano (dried, as written in the seasoning list)
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper (for seafood seasoning)
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste; for seafood seasoning)
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional; listed in ingredients but not called for in the directions)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for seafood)
• 1 cup long-grain rice (uncooked)
• 2 tbsp butter (for the rice)
• 4 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup Parmesan (freshly grated)
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 0.5 tsp paprika (for the rice)
• salt (to taste; for rice)
• black pepper (to taste; for rice)
• lemon juice (to taste; for rice)
• oil (a little, for heating the pan to sear salmon)
• fresh parsley (for finishing; amount not specified)
• lemon (squeezed over the finished dish; amount not specified)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and salt to make the seasoning blend.

2. 2

   Add the salmon and shrimp to the bowl. Toss with the olive oil, melted butter, and seasoning blend until evenly coated.

3. 3

   Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat with a little oil.

4. 4

   Add the salmon pieces to the hot pan in a single layer. Sear for about 2–3 minutes per side, depending on their size, until blackened and cooked through.

5. 5

   Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside.

6. 6

   Add the shrimp to the same pan. Cook for about 1–2 minutes per side, until opaque and cooked through.

7. 7

   Remove the shrimp from the pan and set it aside.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat to medium and melt the rice butter in the same pan.

9. 9

   Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.

10. 10

    Stir in the uncooked rice and paprika.

11. 11

    Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a gentle boil.

12. 12

    Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15–18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Adjust the cooking time according to the rice variety.

13. 13

    Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and fresh spinach.

14. 14

    Cover for another 2–3 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the rice is creamy.

15. 15

    Season the rice with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

16. 16

    Nestle the salmon and shrimp over the creamy spinach rice.

17. 17

    Let everything warm together for a minute or two.

18. 18

    Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

The directions call for a little pan oil and finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon, but no quantities are given for these. Red pepper flakes are listed as optional but are not mentioned in the directions. Salmon fillet weight and exact pan-oil amount are unspecified.

Nutrition per serving

• dinner
• main
• seafood
• one-pan
• stovetop
• comfort food