Description
Perfectly seasoned salmon and shrimp in a rich, creamy garlic sauce with bold Cajun flavors. This elegant yet easy dinner is perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself to something incredible.
Ingredients
Protein
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- 4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each) – get the thick ones if possible
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- 20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined – I use 16/20 count
Seasoning
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- 2-3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning – Old Bay works but Tony Chachere’s is better
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- 1 teaspoon salt – kosher salt
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- ½ teaspoon black pepper – fresh ground makes a difference
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- Juice of ½ lemon – don’t use the bottled stuff
Sauce Base
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- 2 tablespoons butter – real butter, not the fake stuff
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- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced – more if you’re like me and love garlic
Liquids
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- 1 cup heavy cream – splurge on the good stuff
Instructions
Pat the seafood completely dry, then generously coat it with your seasoning mix—bold flavors are key. Let it rest about ten minutes so the salt starts breaking down the proteins, which helps with browning.
Heat a pan until very hot, then sear the salmon without touching for about 4 minutes until it releases easily. Flip and cook 2–3 more minutes, then remove—leave the browned bits for extra flavor.
In the same hot pan, cook shrimp about 90 seconds per side until they form a loose “C” shape, then remove with the salmon. Keep the browned bits in the pan—they’re the base for your sauce.
Lower the heat to medium, melt butter, and sauté garlic briefly until fragrant. Stir in cream and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until it thickly coats a spoon, letting the browned bits infuse flavor.
Return the salmon and shrimp to the sauce, spooning it over them, and heat for about three minutes so the seafood finishes cooking. Taste and adjust with lemon or salt as needed.
Plate everything and be generous with that sauce. I use a big spoon to make sure I get all the good bits onto each plate. Serve right away while everything’s hot and the sauce is silky.
Notes
Dry your seafood obsessively. Seriously. I cannot overstate this. Wet seafood steams instead of sears and you lose all that flavor and texture.
Don’t flip the salmon until it releases easily. If you try to force it and it’s sticking, wait another minute. Patience pays off with perfect golden crust.
Keep the heat at medium for the sauce. I know you’re hungry but high heat will curdle the cream and make it grainy. Low and slow wins.
Shrimp cook incredibly fast. I set a timer for ninety seconds per side because I get distracted easily. Overcooked shrimp are bouncy and gross.
Season generously but taste as you go. Some Cajun seasonings are saltier than others. I learned to adjust after making it too salty for my kids several times.
Buy good ingredients. The cream makes a huge difference – don’t go cheap. Same with the seafood. Fresh is obviously best but good frozen works fine if thawed properly.
The biggest mistake everyone makes is overcooking. The seafood continues cooking in the sauce so stop before you think it’s done. Better slightly underdone than leather.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan-seared
- Cuisine: American