Salmon with Mango Mustard and Black Beans

I was never a fish lover. I'd even say I was a fish-hater but all that changed when I took a class on cooking fish and one of the many terrific recipes I took away was this one--it helped to change my bigotry against this tasty and good-for-you meat. Love those Omega-3 oils!

The recipe is completely quick and easy and the blend of flavors is perfect, especially when finished off with a pretty little side of rice. Light and healthy to lead you into 2008.

For the beans:
1 15-ounce can of black beans, undrained
1/2 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
2 teaspoons instant minced onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the mango mustard sauce:
1 cup sliced mango
1 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of salt and pepper

4 salmon fillets
3 cups cooked white sticky rice

To prepare:
Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Grill or bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes per inch of thickness or until the fish flakes when tested with a fork (if it's slightly translucent or doesn't flake easily it's not done). Keep fillets warm.

Drain the beans, reserving 1/3 cup of the liquid. In a saucepan combine the beans, reserved liquid, bell pepper, onion, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Cook over a low heat for five minutes.

Combine the mango, cider vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth or slightly chunky, depending on your taste. Transfer to a microwaveable dish and heat for one or two minutes until it's warm.

To serve, spoon the black beans onto a dish, top with a fillet and drizzle with the mango mustard sauce. Serve with a side of white rice for nice variety and balance. Makes 4-6 servings.

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And if this spicy mustard doesn't warm you, you can check out the video KT Cat made just for me. I feel warmer just watching it.

Technorati tags: main dishes, salmon, mango, black beans