Pan-Seared Salmon

A salmon fillet seared skin-side down until the skin is shatteringly crisp and the flesh is just cooked through and moist. Fish is more delicate than meat, so the approach is different — pressed flat at the start, cooked mostly on the skin side, and flipped only once — which gives you crisp skin and tender, silky salmon every time.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets, skin-on
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil

Pan-Frying

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Browning Food and Building a Sauce→

Method

Sear skin-side down

Pat the salmon completely dry, especially the skin, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then place the salmon skin-side down and press gently for the first few seconds to keep the skin from curling. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and deeply golden and the fillet is mostly opaque up the sides.

Flip and serve

Flip once and cook another 1–2 minutes, until just cooked through, then remove and serve immediately.

Pairs with: Salmon Beurre Blanc