#and we add that to food to marinade too bc it tastes real good

[edwardslostalchemy]

Okay okay okay okay so what I've noticed about some cooking videos I've watched, the person cooking only uses salt and pepper to season their food. And i mean, nothing wrong with that, but. SPICE things up ohmgggg there's so many spices and herbs to give flavor to food, I'm begging people to use more things other than salt and pepper.

Like I saw a video of someone cooking salmon. Only used salt and pepper. And I'm here like. That is your prerogative, but make use of other spices.

This is how I prepare salmon: either add the juice of an orange or a lemon to give it some good marinade. You can use both citrus fruits if you want, but I use whichever is available in my basket or I pick one over the other to change things up.

Next, I get my spices. I am not into hot foods, so I don't add any hot peppers or hot sauce. But I love certain spices. I add cumin, garlic powder, ground pepper, lemon pepper, and onion powder, in that order. Let the salmon rest for a bit. Then cook it on a pan with oil. It takes like 4-5 minutes to cook each side of the salmon, maybe a bit more depending on your stove, but I don't leave it for too long so it doesn't burn, and I check to see if it's cooked all the way by cutting it in half with my spatula because in this house, we care more about food being fully cooked over aesthetic. My dad brings out the hot sauce, the home made salsa mom makes, and the tartar sauce, and we can add those on the side so we don't cover the salmon with sauces after plating.

It tastes amazing. You don't even have to add the sauces at the end for it to taste good. I use ground pepper, but I never add salt. I don't recall ever pulling out the salt container to add it to salmon. Lemon pepper already has sodium and it gives it good flavor. I do NOT put limits on how much spice i add to the salmon; I put as much of each as I want and feel comfortable. Cumin can have a deliciously overwhelming smell and ground pepper makes me sneeze, but heck if I don't add them.

Sometimes if I feel fancy, i add oregano or parsley flakes, or cut onion and cook it with the salmon so it can give it flavor, too. I've added honey to it when my roommate suggested it. If I want the salmon to be a little red, I add paprika. Sometimes i just go HAM and add some more spices i have in my pantry. Give it flavor!!!

Don't stay in the same cycle of cooking. This is one reason it can become boring. Make it exciting. Idk about others, but only using salt and pepper is boring to me. I will use steak seasoning if it means using something new and different (and I have steak seasoning in my pantry, I will use it). Rub some cilantro on the salmon or some parsley or marinade it over night. SOMETHING. Just don't limit yourselves to salt and pepper.