Crisp Salmon with Green Herb and Caper Sauce
This technique for cooking salmon is triple F—fast, fantastic, and foolproof. All you need is a nonstick pan, a thin film of olive oil on the bottom of the pan, high heat, and a few fillets of freshly caught, skinless wild salmon. When cooked, the outside of the fish is crisp and golden, while the inside is juicy and tender. Serve it with a green herb and caper sauce, also known as salsa verde in Italy. By the way, this versatile sauce is good with just about any kind of meat, poultry, or fish.
Serves 6
TO DRINK: Sauvignon Blanc or Spanish Cava
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 salmon fillets (about 2 pounds total), skin removed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
In a bowl, stir together the parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, capers, garlic, and 6 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat in a large nonstick pan. Add the salmon in a single layer and cook until golden and crisp on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Turn the salmon carefully, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until golden and crisp on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes.
In the meantime, add the lemon juice to the herb-caper sauce. To serve, place 1 salmon fillet on each plate and top with the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.