Cowboy Butter Salmon

Courtesy of: LaShaundra Randolph Serves: 2

Ingredients:

12 oz. wild-caught salmon, room temperature, washed & dried 2 tsps. olive oil Seasoning Mix: 1/4 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. garlic 1/4 tsp. brown sugar Cowboy Butter: 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard 2 tsp. garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. parsley 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. onion powder 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 tsp. thyme, ground 1/4 tsp. oregano 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Line a baking sheet with foil paper. (I used an oiled grill pan) 3. In a bowl, combine cowboy butter ingredients. 4. Remove about 2 tablespoons of the cowboy butter and set aside. 5. In a small bowl, mix together seasoning mix. 6. Place salmon on baking sheet and coat very lightly in olive oil (top and bottom.) 7. Sprinkle seasoning mix evenly over salmon (top and bottom). 8. Pat on half of the reserved cowboy butter. 9. Bake salmon on middle rack for 6 minutes (or until halfway done). 10. Remove from oven and brush salmon generously with remaining reserved cowboy butter. 11. Return to oven and bake until the fish flakes very easily with a fork (do not overcook or salmon will be dry.) 12. When fish comes out of the oven, garnish with parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes and fresh lemon zest. 13. Serve salmon with the remaining cowboy butter on the side.

Cultures Connect:

American cowboys can find their origins in the vaquero. The vaquero were mounted livestock herders whose reknown was develped primarily in Mexico!