Caribbean Jerk Salmon Bowl with Mango Salsa

Joe and I like to have salmon for dinner every couple of weeks and typically we just bake it with some simple seasoning.  We both really enjoy cooking the salmon that way but when I came across this next recipe while looking through a few of the regular blogs that I check, I decided that we would try it out next time we wanted salmon for dinner.  The recipe came from a blog called Pinch of Yum and looked like it had all the components of a dinner that we'd like.  It starts with plain rice (Joe's favorite) then some black beans, the Caribbean jerk crusted salmon, and a yummy mango salsa.  I can honestly say that this meal took me 30 minutes from start to finish, which was pretty good considering I'd never made it before.  The hardest part was figuring out how to peel the silly mangoes and get the good part off the center pit.  The final result was D-E-licious!  All the flavors were amazing together and I'll definitely be making it again this summer.  Joe loved it too but said that he could have done with a little less red onion.  Maybe I'll just try and chop it finer next time.  Oh, and it was just as great the next day when I brought the leftovers to work for lunch.  Here's the recipe:

Caribbean Jerk Salmon Bowl with Mango Salsa


1 lb. fresh salmon (can be in more than 1 piece)
1 t. oil
1 1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. curry
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. allspice
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 cups cooked white rice
1 - 12 oz. can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 mangoes - peeled and diced (I only used one)
1/2 red onion - diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro - chopped (I didn't use the entire bunch)
1 squeeze lime juice
1 avocado - chopped (optional)

First, stir together all the spices in a small bowl.  Then coat the salmon pieces with the spice mix.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the salmon to the pan and cook on both sides for a few minutes each.  Then using a spoon or spatula break the salmon into pieces in the pan and continue cooking until completely cooked through (no longer translucent).  Set the cooked salmon aside while you make the salsa.

Combine mangoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and avocados in a bowl.

To serve, stir the rice and beans together and place a couple spoonfuls of that into the bottom of a bowl, top with some salmon and then a goodly amount of the mango salsa.  Enjoy!

Joe and I found that places like Sam's and Costco are good sources for buying large slabs of salmon (we got a 4 pound piece) for a good price.  So if you don't have access to excellent fresh salmon like someone I know in Alaska, then check out one of those 2 stores.  I'm looking at you Uncle Charlie.  That salmon you brought to Mimi's was unbelievable!

Tonight we're having some friends over for dinner and playing games, but this morning we were busy garage sale-ing and getting rid of all the excess paint in our house.  The city of Olathe offers free hazardous waste disposal on the 2nd Saturday of every month so we finally cleared out the basement store room that the previous owners had somehow filled up with OVER 40 CANS OF PAINT!  Yikes.  All we had to do to get rid of it was pull up at the disposal facility and someone else unloaded it for us.  Nice!  They also took our used motor oil and some anti-freeze.  Well, have a great weekend, and a Happy Mother's Day!