Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Butter Sauce
Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
By Breana Lai Killeen for Food & Wine magazine
Lemon, butter, and capers never disappoint when you need a quick pan sauce for fish. Wild salmon cooks very quickly, taking on a golden-brown exterior while staying soft inside due to the short time in the pan. Serve with boiled or roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus, broccoli or green beans for a simple yet elegant meal.
Suggested pairing
Finish this classic marriage of flavors with a bright, citrusy Oregon white, like Ovum Big Salt White.
Ingredients
1 medium SALMON FILLET (1.5 pounds)
1/2-3/4 tsp KOSHER SALT
1/4 tsp BLACK PEPPER
2 Tbsp EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (divided)
1/4 cup DRY WHITE WINE
1 large LEMON juiced (about 3 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp UNSALTED BUTTER
2 Tbsp CAPERS rinsed (optional)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh PARSLEY, DILL and/or CHIVES
Directions
1. PREPARE THE SALMON
Pat salmon dry, cut into portions, and sprinkle both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
2. PREPARE SAUCE INGREDIENTS
Chop the herbs, measure out the capers and butter and wine so they are close at hand. This will allow you to finish the sauce while the fish is still hot.
3. COOK THE SALMON
Starting with the salmon skin side up gives you time to brown the flesh while also allowing the fish to cook through a little more gently after flipping, since the skin provides a barrier between the pan and the flesh at that point.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add 2-3 salmon portions, skin side up; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip salmon, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest portion of fillets registers 110°F to 115°F, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer salmon to a serving platter. Wipe skillet clean, and repeat process with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining portions.
Pro tip – If crispy pieces of the skin come off as you remove the fish from the pan be sure to sample them while hot.
4. PREPARE THE SAUCE
Remove skillet from heat; add wine and lemon juice. Return skillet to heat over medium-high; cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter, and swirl until melted, about 1 minute; add capers (if using) and herbs.
5. PLATE THE DISH
Arrange a portion of fish on a rimmed plate with desired sides. Ladle sauce over salmon.
