Cocoa and Coffee-Crusted Salmon with Maple Chipotle Glaze

One of my favorite Caribbean islands is Grand Cayman, known for its pristine beaches and gorgeous sunsets. On one visit I spent an afternoon cooking with Chef Beny in his beachside restaurant learning some of his specialties. I had tried his cocoa and coffee-crusted salmon, and I was eager to learn his secrets in making it. The spicy citrus glaze goes perfectly with the slight bitterness of the coffee and cocoa crust on the salmon. And mango salsa is the perfect accoutrement to this dish, adding a little bite of heat with the addition of jalapeño. The colors in this dish are so vivid and bright, reminding me of a beautiful sunset on the beach.

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Ingredients

Serves 4

Maple Chipotle Glaze:

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1 cup pure maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mango Salsa:

• 1 ripe mango, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, minced

• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

• Juice of one lemon

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salmon:

• 1/3 cup ground coffee

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon red chile powder

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 4 4-ounce salmon filets

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Process

Make the Glaze:

In a medium saucepan combine the orange juice, maple syrup, chipotle, and orange zest. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, about 20 minutes. Stir in the salt and strain through a sieve into a dish. Set aside.

Make the Salsa:

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and gently stir. Set aside. 

Make the Salmon:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow dish, combine the coffee, cocoa powder, brown sugar, chile powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Coat the top of each salmon fillet (not the skin or skinned side) with the vegetable oil then press the fillet into the coffee mixture to coat. Set the fillets on a plate.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Carefully lay each fillet, crusted side down, into the skillet and let sear for 1 minute. With tongs, lift the fillets and turn to sear other sides until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5 or 6 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Serve the salmon topped with a spoonful of the glaze and mango salsa.