Salmon Recipe

Prepare salmon

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Check for bones and remove any with fish tweezers. Score the skin lightly in two diagonal slashes if the fillets are large to help render fat and prevent curling.

Make marinade

In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, chopped dill, lemon zest, kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk until honey is dissolved and ingredients are well blended.

Marinate

Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish or resealable bag. Pour half of the marinade over the fish (reserve the other half for basting and sauce). Turn to coat evenly. Marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes. Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes to avoid 'cooking' the fish with acid.

Bring to room temperature

Remove salmon from fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it reaches near room temperature; this helps even cooking.

Preheat pan

Heat a large nonstick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tbs olive oil and let it shimmer.

Sear salmon

Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot pan, pressing gently for 10 seconds to keep skin flat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook skin-side down without moving for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the fish is cooked about two-thirds of the way through. Use a spatula to flip the fillets and cook flesh-side for 1–2 minutes more for medium doneness (internal temp ~125–130°F / 52–54°C). If fillets are thicker than 1 inch, cook an extra minute.

Finish and baste

During the last minute of cooking, add reserved marinade to the pan and spoon it over the fillets to glaze. Add 1 tbsp butter to the pan and tilt the pan, spooning the melted butter over the tops of the salmon to finish.

Rest

Transfer salmon to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 3–4 minutes; carryover cooking will bring temperature up slightly while juices redistribute.

Make pan sauce

Wipe the pan if there is excessive residue but leave any browned bits. Return to medium heat, add the minced shallot and sauté 30–45 seconds until softened. Deglaze with 1 tbs white wine or chicken stock, scraping up browned bits. Add remaining butter and any accumulated salmon juices from the resting plate, swirl until sauce is glossy. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice if needed.

Serve

Spoon the pan sauce over the salmon fillets, garnish with extra fresh dill and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.