Copycat Roost Ancho Salmon with Charred Corn Succotash & Quick Mole
If you have ever dined at Roost in downtown Greenville, SC, you know their menu leans towards elevated, ingredient-driven Southern dishes with a modern twist. Their ancho salmon posted as a part of their Restaurant Week, caught my eye.
Reverse-Engineering the Plate
Part of the fun of eating out is figuring out how to bring those incredible restaurant flavors into your own kitchen. I didn’t have Roost’s official recipe for this dish, just a memorable Instagram photo, a quick look at their menu description and a serious craving. By breaking down the visual layers on the plate, I recreated their earthy mole, bright succotash and vibrant rice using my own shortcut methods, like air-frying the salmon for speed and using local Marsh Hen Mill Carolina Gold rice for that authentic Lowcountry base. The result is a spot-on copycat that looks and tastes like it came straight out of a professional kitchen.
Component Breakdown
- Ancho-Rubbed Salmon: Air-fried at 395°F to achieve a caramelized, spiced crust while keeping the center flaky and tender.
- Quick Mole Sauce: A streamlined, velvety mole using chipotle peppers, almond butter, raisins and Mexican chocolate (like Abuelita) for deep, complex flavor without hours of simmering.
- Mexican Saffron Carolina Gold Rice: Made with local Marsh Hen Mill Carolina Gold rice, steeped with real saffron threads for an aromatic, vibrant yellow base.
- Charred Corn & Poblano Succotash: Fresh corn on the cob and poblano peppers broiled until blistered, then tossed with bright lime juice.
- Avocado Crème: A silky, herbaceous drizzle featuring fresh lime, jalapeño, cilantro and sour cream to cool down the smoky heat.
Ingredients
Quick Mole Ingredients
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tbps cornstarch
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2-3 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 3 tbsp unsweetened almond butter
- 1/2 raisins
- 2 blocks Mexican chocolate drink mix (we used Abuelita)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Mexican Saffron Carolina Gold Rice
- 1 cup Carolina Gold Rice (we use Marsh Hen Hill) or any white rice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp saffron
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chick stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Avocado Crème
- 1 large avocado
- 2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 large jalapeno, seeds and stems removed (if you don’t like it hot)
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, packed
- 2 tbsp half and half cream
- 1-2 tbsp water, to thin as desired
- Salt and pepper to taste
Charred Corn and Poblano Succotash
- 3 ears fresh corn, husks removed
- 1 large poblano, cut in half and seeds removed
- Olive oil to cover
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ancho Salmon
- 2 salmon filets
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Make the Quick Mole
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until soft and translucent (about 4–5 minutes).
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, coriander and cornstarch, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock, chipotle peppers with adobo, almond butter and raisins.
- Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and process until completely smooth.
- Return to low heat to keep warm, mix in the Mexican chocolate blocks. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the chocolate dissolves. Seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Prepare the Saffron Rice
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic, cooking until softened.
- Add the Carolina Gold rice and saffron threads, stirring for 1–2 minutes to toast the grains lightly.
- Pour in the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer according to package directions (typically 20–25 minutes) until the stock is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.
3. Char the Succotash
- Preheat your oven broiler on high with the top rack set 6 inches from the heating element.
- Rub the corn ears and halved poblano pepper light with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.
- Broil for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the corn kernels and pepper skin are nicely charred and blistered.
- Remove from heat. Slice the charred corn kernels off the cob and dice the poblano pepper.
- Toss together in a bowl with fresh lime juice, salt and pepper.
4. Blend the Avocado Crème
- Combine the avocado, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, sour cream, cilantro and half-and-half in a food processor or blender.
- Blend until smooth. Stream in 1–2 tablespoons of water as needed until you reach a pourable, drizzle-able consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Air Fry the Salmon
- Preheat your air fryer to 395°F.
- Season the salmon fillets generously with the ancho chili powder, standard chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Place fillets in the air fryer basket and cook for 7–9 minutes (depending on thickness) until the edges are crispy and the center is just cooked through.
Plating
- The Base: Spoon a round pool of warm quick mole directly onto the center of each plate.
- The Grain: Mound a bed of bright yellow Saffron Carolina Gold Rice in the middle of the mole circle.
- The Fish: Lay the air-fried ancho salmon fillet across the top of the rice.
- The Top & Sides: Spoon the charred corn and poblano succotash over the salmon and scatter extra around the base.
- The Drizzle: Swirl or swoop the vibrant green avocado crème around the outer rim of the plate and finish with microgreens if desired.
