You will love this simple-to-prepare pan-seared salmon recipe that comes together in minutes and is served with a dill cream sauce.
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesminutes
Total Time: 20 minutesminutes
Ingredients
2 8-ouncewild caught salmon fillets
2tablespoonsolive oil
8tablespoonsunsalted butter
1peeled and small diced shallot
2finely minced cloves of garlic
juice of ½ lemon
¼cupchardonnay
1/2cupof heavy whipping cream
1tablespooncapers
1 ½teaspoonsfresh chopped dill
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
Season the fish well on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add the olive oil to a large cast iron skillet, sauté, or use a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Wait until it begins to smoke lightly.
Add in the fish skin side up and pan sear for 2 to 3 minutes or until well browned. Immediately add in 2 tablespoons of butter to help brown and turn the heat down to medium-high heat.
Flip the fish over. Generously baste the fish constantly until it is finished cooking, which takes about 2 to 3 more minutes.
Set the salmon to the side and drain off the cooking oil.
Return to the pan the fish was cooked in and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
Throw in the shallots and garlic and caramelize, which will only take a few minutes since the pan will be so hot.
Deglaze with the fresh lemon juice and cook it until it is au sec or the liquid is almost gone.
Next, deglaze again with the chardonnay wine and cook it until the liquid is almost gone. This is a crucial step for making this lemon butter sauce for salmon.
Pour in the heavy whipping cream and cook it over medium heat until it becomes very thick, like an alfredo sauce. Mix in the remaining butter, capers, and dill until combined.
Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve the salmon on top of the sauce.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten right away. However, you can make it up to 30 minutes ahead of time. Just keep it warm before serving.How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.How to Reheat: Add the desired number of salmon and sauce to a pan and cook in the oven at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until warmed. You can also heat it in the microwave until warm.You can grill the salmon instead of cooking it over medium to high heat for 3-4 minutes per side and then separate the sauce in a pan.The oils I prefer to use are olive, avocado, or peanut oil.Any breed of salmon is good to use in this recipe.You can use your favorite frying pan for this.It is ok to cook salmon to temperature. I enjoy serving and eating it at a medium to medium-well internal temperature.The sauce is not the traditional way to make a beurre blanc. However, if you ever want your sauce to hold, use heavy cream first. It’s a guaranteed solidifier.