The idea of cooking a whole salmon can be daunting for most home cooks. Luckily, salmon fillets cook easily in a pan. You can flavor them with your favorite spices and brown them in a pot like any other ingredient. Following the instructions of the recipe, when cooked, the skin that wraps the salmon will be appetizing and crunchy while the inside will be soft and succulent. Continue reading the article and in a few minutes your lunch will be ready on the table!
Ingrediants
- 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, to be heated initially in a pan
- 2 salmon fillets weighing about 180 g each
- 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, to season the salmon
- 1/4 teaspoon of flaked salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Season the Salmon
Step 1. Put the pan on the stove
Use a large one (about 25-30cm in diameter) and heat it over medium heat. Pour in a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, it will prevent the salmon from sticking or burning during cooking. Wait until the pan is hot; you will know that you can start cooking when you feel hot by holding your hand on it about 10 cm away.
Use a non-stick or cast iron skillet to prevent the salmon skin from sticking to the metal during cooking
Step 2. Cut the salmon if necessary
You need two fillets about 5 cm wide, weighing about 180 g each. If you bought a whole piece of salmon, cut it with a sharp knife to make single fillets. Before cooking them, remove any thorns.
If you need to clean the fillets, run your fingers along the sides to locate the thin, pointed spines. Use a pair of special pliers to remove them from the meat
Step 3. Season the fillets with oil and spices
First, pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture. Once dry, massage it with two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Try to distribute it evenly on both sides of the fillets. Finally sprinkle them with a quarter of a teaspoon of flaked salt and freshly ground black pepper.
The oil will cause the salmon skin to become crisp and golden, while preventing it from sticking to the bottom of the pan
Step 4. Try other spices
Use your favorite toppings to add even more flavor to the recipe. If you don't want to alter the taste of the fish too much, but want it to be a nice bright orange color when cooked, you can add just a little sweet paprika. If, on the other hand, you like strong flavors, you can try the following spice blends:
- Spice mix for barbecues;
- Chinese Five Spice Mix;
- Indian Garam Masala;
- Ras el Hanout North African.
Part 2 of 2: Cooking
Step 1. Place the salmon in the pan
If you want the skin to be more crunchy, turn it face down. If, on the other hand, you intend to remove it before serving the salmon to your diners, put the side with the pulp in contact with the pan. In any case, you should avoid removing it before cooking the fish as it will act as a protective barrier preventing it from being overcooked. In addition, at the end of cooking it will come off much more easily.
If you intend to cook more than two fillets at the same time, make sure they have enough space in the pan to prevent the temperature from dropping too much. If necessary, cook them separately
Step 2. Crush the fillets with a flat spatula
They will most likely tend to curl during the first few minutes of cooking, especially if the skin is facing down. To keep them straight as they cook, mash them evenly using a wide, flat kitchen spatula.
The most suitable spatula for this purpose is the triangular-shaped one (narrow near the handle and with a wide tip). It must be flexible but stiff enough to lift a whole fillet of fish without breaking it
Step 3. Brown the salmon
If the fillets weigh around 180-250g, they will need to cook more or less for 4 minutes in total. If they are evenly thick, let them brown for two minutes on each side. If, on the other hand, they are thick at one end, but thinner at the other, it is better to cook them a minute and a half on the top and thirty seconds on the thinner side.
- You should use the kitchen timer to make sure you are cooking the fillets for the correct time. The thermometer can give an inaccurate result because the shape and thickness of the fillets vary from one point to another, thus requiring a different cooking time.
- Avoid turning the salmon too many times. Otherwise it will be impossible to get the nice external crust you want.
Step 4. Let the fillets rest before serving
Transfer them to a serving dish and cover them with a sheet of aluminum foil. They will need to rest for about 5 minutes. During this time, the residual heat will complete the cooking and the juices of the meat will redistribute evenly inside the fillets. Serve them on the table while they are still hot.
