Ultimate Louisiana Salmon BLT Recipe

No list of iconic Cajun foods or New Orleans classics would be complete without the mention of shellfish dishes, including boiled crawfish and shrimp étouffée, but Louisiana's waters are also teeming with fish. This means that developer Patterson Watkins' choice of Cajun-spiced salmon for her Louisiana-inspired BLT is not only delicious but regionally appropriate, since some salmon species are native to the state. Watkins, who describes New Orleans cuisine as "out-of-this-world flavorful," loves to add Cajun flavor to her recipes, and both the seasonings and the salmon elevate this BLT way above the ordinary.

When it comes to making a superior sandwich, Watkins has a few more tricks up her sleeve. Instead of building this BLT on a base of plain old toast, she makes butter-fried bread in her skillet, explaining that this brings the sandwich "flavor, crispness, stability, and joy" and swears, "Toast never tasted so good." She doesn't stick to store-bought mayonnaise, either, but instead spreads the sandwich with homemade remoulade to add a touch of tang and a hint of heat.

While Watkins favors sweet potato chips as a side for this sandwich, any flavor of Zapp's New Orleans-style chips would also make for a perfect pairing. Fries, tater tots, onion rings, and hush puppies would work, as well, while potato salad or coleslaw could provide a cool, creamy counterpoint to the spicy sandwich.

This sandwich is made from salmon, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, bread, butter, and a homemade remoulade. To make the remoulade, you're going to need mayonnaise, garlic, whole-grain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, horseradish sauce, hot sauce, and parsley.

‌To make the remoulade, place the mayonnaise, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, horseradish, hot sauce, and parsley in a medium bowl.

Whisk to combine the sauce, cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a sealable container, and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the sandwiches.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and spritz with cooking spray.

Place the salmon filets on one half of the baking sheet.

Place the bacon slices on the other half.

Season the salmon and bacon with the Cajun seasoning.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and the bacon is crisp.

Meanwhile, working in batches as necessary, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once melted, add the bread slices and toast until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Once cooked, transfer the salmon and bacon to a paper towel–lined plate or platter to drain.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread the toasted bread with remoulade.

Divide the lettuce and tomato between two bread slices.

Top the vegetables with the salmon, and add the bacon to the other slice of bread.

Sandwich the two slices, halve (if desired), and serve.

One important factor to consider when making a salmon sandwich (or one with any type of fish, for that matter) is how well the fillet will cover the bread. You don't want to wind up with nothing but bread in the first bite, after all, nor do you want a great big hump of fish in the middle that will cause all the toppings to go sliding down the slope. For this reason, the flatter the salmon, the better. If you're slicing your own fish or visiting a fishmonger, the part near the tail is usually the flattest. If you're purchasing supermarket salmon wrapped in plastic, though, go with a piece that looks both thin and wide.

Yet another question with fish is whether to use skin-on or skinless salmon. Watkins doesn't mind a bit of fish skin in her sandwich, so she doesn't let its presence or absence factor into her purchasing decision. If you are bothered by the skin, though, you can either look for skinless fillets or remove the skin yourself. You won't even need a knife to do it — just pour a bit of boiling water over the salmon skin, then peel it right off.

Depending on how much remoulade you use on your sandwich, you may have a bit left over. This isn't a bad thing at all, though, since you might even want to double or triple the remoulade recipe so you'll be sure to have leftovers. The sauce will last for at least a week in the fridge as long as you store it in a covered container.

Watkins calls remoulade "the king of condiments" not only because of its creamy deliciousness but also because there's so much more that you can do with it besides using it as a sandwich spread. It makes a great dip for fresh vegetables or potato chips and can take the place of tartar sauce alongside any kind of fried seafood. You can also use remoulade in place of mayonnaise to give your pimento cheese and tuna salad a flavor boost.

Depending on how spicy you want your remoulade, you can either increase or decrease the amount of hot sauce. It's best not to mess with the amount of Cajun seasoning, however, since this blend supplies all of the salt in the sauce.